


Piracy is the Fastest Way to the Heart

by SanguineQueen



Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014), The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Adorable Barry Allen, Bottom Barry Allen, Dom/sub Undertones, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Humor, Hurt Leonard Snart, Iris is slightly controlling but it gets better, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, I’m living for this AU, Leonard Snart Has a Heart, Leonard Snart Needs a Hug, M/M, Mainly Coldflash but there are more couples, Minor Barry Allen/Iris West, Pirate AU, Pirate Captain Leonard Snart, The Rogues As Family (The Flash), Top Leonard Snart, mermaid au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:33:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25007002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SanguineQueen/pseuds/SanguineQueen
Summary: Pirate Captain Leonard Snart and his Rogues rule the Carribean. They pillage and plunder wherever their hearts desire but the dreaded Captain Harrison Wells threatens their rule. In order to get even, Captain Cold steals a treasure chest in the middle of the ocean, soon discovering it holds the merman Barry Allen. The catch? Barry is a merman prince and he may or may not be the key to stopping a war between humans and the sea.AKA the Pirate/Mermaid ColdFlash AU no one asked for but I’m delivering
Relationships: Barry Allen/Leonard Snart, Captain Cold/The Flash
Comments: 23
Kudos: 119





	1. The Lighthouse

Captain Leonard Snart watched the waves crash onto his ship. The salty air made his coat stick to his skin. The open sea stretched on for miles, even as he used his spyglass to survey the area for trouble.

Everything was quiet. This was definitely the right place.

He could hear his crew laughing below deck, their merry cries making him grin even as the gulls above cut off their voices from being distinguishable. It was easy to picture what they were doing: Axel’s drunk impressions of the rest of the crew while Mick egged him on, bottle of rum in hand with Hartley’s head shaking in disgust. Shawna would be counting their quota of the day, using her trusty compass to see what direction they should be heading, Roy at her shoulder. Mark would be keeping watch, one eye out the window always checking for an incoming storm to blow them off course. There was one other member missing though, her voice not with the rest.

Len turned the ship wheel to stay on course. Lisa’s voice came from behind him. “She sails like a beauty.”

“That she does,” Len agreed. “Not the smoothest, but we’ll manage.”

Lisa pursed her lips and jutted out a hip in the way she always did. “Lots more storage on this one, Lenny. Can we keep her?”

“No. I promised Sara we’d get her back in one piece.”

“But that’s no fun. What’s the use of having cannons if they’re locked up tighter than the Queen’s jewelry box?”

Captain Sara Lance has graciously let Len and his crew use her ship _The Waverider_ while his own ship _The Rogue’s Revenge_ was getting repaired. A battle had taken off the gun deck, cracked the bow, and caused one of the masts to crash into the water. It had been the first and last time Len had overestimated his enemy and gone into a fight guns blazing. It was a miracle none of his crew had any lasting injuries besides Mick now sporting a snazzy red eyepatch where he’s caught a cannon ball with his face.

“Do you know where we’ll be meeting Sara yet?” Lisa asked. “All the testosterone downstairs is making me sea sick.”

Len turned the ship to starboard, causing Lisa to hang onto his arm tightly so the wind wouldn’t topple her. “Don’t you have Shawna to talk to? You’re normally friendly.”

“Not today,” Lisa huffed. “She stole the locket I wanted from our last pillage and sold it to get Mark a new knife for his collection.”

“That won’t be tolerated.”

Lisa smirked. “You gonna scare her? Can I watch Lenny?”

“No, I’m not going to scare her.” Len walked away from the helm, tucking one of his coat sleeves back into place where one of the buttons had popped off. “I’m just making sure things are perfectly clear.”

Lisa seemed to be okay with that answer, walking beside her brother with a new spring in her step.

She was younger than him by a few years, but Lisa’s youthfulness always took Len by surprise. His own age was close to 40 while she was in her mid 30s with long, curly brown hair that made her easily look 20. Her gold jacket complimented her white trousers and fitted corset. Gold bangles also matched her gold revolver tucked into a leather band on her right thigh. A sight to behold when most women pirates weren’t that pretty.

The deck still needed to be cleaned, even as another wave crashed close enough to speckle Len’s boots with water, and one of the ropes holding the middle sail wasn’t tied. His whole crew was going to have an earful at this rate.

They were all below deck, just as Len had suspected, but their laughter quieted when he made his way down the stairs, slow and deliberate. The cabin was tidy save for the barrels of gun powder and rum normally chained together acting as stools.

Axel was caught mid sentence, his face turning red while he kept his tongue in check. Hartley made a face at him and the gunner finally finished his sentence in a rush.

“—That’s why the Captain always walks with a slight lean to the left.”

Laughter bubbled out of Mick and Roy, but it was subdued, no longer the boisterous sound there had been moments before. Len gave them both a scowl, Mick taking a long swing of his rum while holding extensive eye contact and Roy ducked his head in an apology. Even Mark didn’t make a sly remark as Len made his way to the center of the room.

“Am I interrupting something? Was there a party I wasn’t invited to?”

Shawna held her breath, playing with her bandana and looking anywhere but straight. Lisa glared daggers.

“‘Course not, Cap,” Mick said. He was still holding tight eye contact. “If we had had a party and you weren’t showin’ I would’ve ordered a hooker or two just to piss ya off.”

“Funny,” Len sneered. “So if this isn’t a party or any of my business, I expect your posts to be filled in the next few seconds before I make it my business. Are we clear?”

There was a rush of agreement and few squeaks from Axel who went to check on the cannons and other necessities stored in the lower deck. Mark and Roy left first to carry on their assignments. Hartley dragged his violin case behind him, going off to practice in solitude. Even Mick grumbled when he too went and joined Lisa, chatting on about the dinner menu.

“Ms. Beaz, could you hold off for a moment,” Len addressed. Shawna jumped a foot in the air when he singled her out, but stood her ground. Len pretended Lisa hadn’t lowered her voice to hear their conversation.

“It’s come to my attention items of property owned by other crew members have gone missing. Care to educate me on the matter?”

Shawna gulped, even as her eyes grew furious. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, sir. I do my job as your navigator and that’s it. Are you asking me if anything of mine was taken?”

Len leaned back on one of the barrels and picked up Mick’s discarded rum. The bottle was empty, but the glass could still be used. It still had purpose.

“You see, Ms. Beaz,” Len began. “My ship is much like this bottle: strong, clear, a unit. Now, when you bash the bottle on its side...”

The bottle cracked when it connected with the edge of the barrel. No glass cut Len’s fingers, but the floor was now covered in drops of rum and the remaining shards.

“Then we have a problem. The ship is cracked, broken, disappointing a way. Much like I was when I heard someone was stealing property that didn’t belong to them. Do you understand?”

Shawna didn’t move. “I didn’t know it was hers, I thought it was a trinket left over from our last stash—“

“Liar! You knew it was mine the whole time!” Lisa screamed back, even as Mick held her arm to keep her in place. Len waved them away as he pushed himself up.

“You see, I do not tolerate thievery on my ship,” Len said. He was now inches away from Shawna’s face and could see the sweat dripping from her brow. “I expect you to give my sister your next bounty, half of it for the locket you stole, and the other half to keep my temper at bay.”

“But the only map is the one from Wells,” Shawna protested. “There’s no new treasure—“

“Then find one,” Len snarled. “This is not my problem. You should be lucky I’m not firing you out of a cannon for your incompetence. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Captain.”

Len stepped back, satisfied. “Good. Now clean this mess up. Be sure to use gloves so you don’t get cut.”

Shawna dropped to the floor immediately, picking the glass up from the floorboards. Lisa winked to Len as he passed her to move to his private chambers.

“If anything else happens while I’m gone you let me know, Lise.”

XXXXX

The lighthouse stood out like a beacon of red and blue against the darkening night sky. Even as Len watched from _The Waverider_ there were jagged rocks keeping the ship from moving forward.

“Stop here,” he commanded as the anchor was dropped into the watery depths below.

“Ya sure this is right?” Mick asked. The wind was knocking against the sail, causing the ship to move back and forth like a seesaw.

“It has to be,” Len explained, coming down from the bowsprit with a flourish. “The map said so.”

”Kinda a dump, doncha think?”

The sea was turning black by the hour, the sun setting with a stream of red and gold against the waves. There wasn’t another boat or soul for miles, the lighthouse being the only monument left to show there had been life there many years ago.

Lisa came to Len’s side, swaying back and forth to not fall over. “Wells’s treasure is here? Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Captain Harrison Wells had been a thorn in Len’s side for the longest time. They had always been at odds, especially when they were pitted against each other. While Len honored the Pirate Codes, Wells didn’t. He pillaged and murdered wherever he went, wreck after wreck the only warning other pirates had if they didn’t want to cross paths.

“What’s so special about this treasure anyway?” That was Axel’s voice. The gunner sailed through the air from the crows nest, touching down at Len’s other side to tie a knot in the rope he had used. “If it ain’t got my booty, I ain’t buying.”

Len growled, a sound low in his throat. “It’s a chest of Well’s deepest, darkest secrets. No one knows what’s in it, but Sara said it was dropped here two days ago. Must be important if Wells is rumored to come back soon.”

That information had cost Len a fortune, but he had paid it happily, even slipping in a little extra to make sure no one else heard anything. Not that Sara would ever give him up, she hated Wells just as much as he did for ruining her life. It was still better safe than sorry.

Everyone was silent when Len went to grab one of the longboats to disembark on his journey. Only Mick and Mark joined him, everyone else electing to stay on the ship. Roy had made a move to get into the boat too, but the chattering of his teeth let Len know the boatswain wasn’t going anywhere without catching a cold.

The longboat cut through the waves like butter, even when 10 feet of water threatened to topple them over and drown them. Len strained to see in the dark, only a lantern let him know there were no rocks up ahead.

Mark pointed to the side. “There! You see it?”

The sea obstructed whatever Mark had been pointing to, but for a moment Len had seen it too, a patch of sand they where could dock, thick enough to hold at least one person at a time.

Mick turned the boat as ordered, hitting the sand head on until they stilled and Mark went to get off, finding his footing easily.

“Careful, Captain. I don’t know how thick this is.”

Len balanced himself on the longboat’s edge, Mick immediately moving to the back to balance the boat out on all sides. The lantern held very little light, the new moonlight the only other source to see beneath the blackness of the sea. Len squinted, holding onto Mark for support. Something was moving down in the depths, an animal or unknown guardian holding the treasure hostage. Another huge wave swept up against the side of the longboat.

“Captain, your orders?”

Mark’s hair and clothing were doused with water, Len’s jacket already clung to him too. They still pressed on, the boat moving with every wave.

“We cast the net here. If anything gets caught, we fish it out.”

Mick brought the net over the side, letting it sink to the bottom. They waited a moment, the howling wind dying out their raging heartbeats. A minute, then two, and Mick went to check the net. The rocks were now silhouettes in the darkness as the lantern started to burn out.

“Fire’s not gonna hold,” Mick grunted.

Len’s eyes stayed on the water. “So light another.”

“Can’t. I know fire better than anyone. These wave’ll kill it before it runs its course.”

“How long?”

Mick stared wistfully at the rope tethering the net to the boat.

“Mick,” Len snapped. “ _How long?_ ”

“Hold your horses, I‘m thinkin’! Net’s stuck I can’t get it out, but we got a few minutes. Then it’s lights out.”

Mark shivered. ”And we’ll be sitting bait for sharks. Or worse.”

Len snarled, starting to undo his boots to toss them aside as well as his cutlass and piztol. His hat went last on top of his coat as he prepared to jump.

“Then I’m going in. We’re sitting ducks out here.”

“No,” Mark interrupted, starting to shed his own coat. “I’ll go. I know the sea better than anyone.”

“Which is why I need you to stay up here with Mick,” Len said, patting Mark’s shoulder to look over the edge. “I’ve done this thousands of times. What’s another wet undershirt to add to my collection?”

Mark nodded, stepping back, but still had that scowl on his face when his orders were belayed. He didn’t say another word however because the captain always had the last word.

Len dove with his arms over his head. The pressure hit him square on, even as he kicked lower. A fish swam in Len’s face, but he pressed on, feeling the rope of the net next to him, taunt and straining. It was too dark to see other than shapes and the stream of bubbles coming from Len’s own mouth when air left his lungs. The net was stuck for sure, something heavy caught in its grasp.

He resurfaced, taking a huge helpful of air, and reached the side of the longboat to shake off whatever water had been stuck in his ears.

“Well?” Mark asked.

“We got something,” Len grinned. “If we all pull we should be able to get it out.”

They pulled as a unit, making sure to use the waves to their advantage. While Len definitely had the most balance, Mark and Mick pulled their own, only slightly stumbling when the net started to come undone from the bottom of the sea.

“If it’s a shark I’m naming him Crunchy,” Mick said.

“It better not be a shark,” Mark grumbled. “I ain’t pulling my weight to get eaten by a barracuda.”

“Barracudas and sharks are from two different classes,” Len corrected. His shoulders burned from the constant pulling, and his knuckles were white with his grip. “I should know. I’ve been bitten by both.”

Something knocked on the side of the longboat and all three of them went to look, almost capsizing the boat in the process. Mark was the first to drawback, whistling.

“It’s _huge_.”

The box was huge, almost the size of half the longboat. Mick was able to haul it up all on his own, grunting when it sank neatly between two of the benches. There was a definite eeriness to all of this that Len couldn’t shake off for the life of him.

It might’ve also been the reason he barely registering Mick clasp his shoulder and start to row back to _The Waverider_.

“Ya picked good. We gonna open it now or not?”

Len smirked. “As anxious as I am, let’s wait for the whole crew. Can’t let us take all the credit for sailing out here in the middle of nowhere.”

The chest was beautiful in a dark and disturbing sort of way. Len had to give Captain Wells credit, his taste was expensive. Large markings covered the lid and sides depicting butterflies with their wings getting sliced by strings of gold. Diamonds covered areas like fireflies and rubies were the drops of blood when the butterfly wings were severed from their bodies.

Len didn’t stop staring at it until they had rowed back to his ship, Lisa, Axel, and Shawna cheering at their arrival. Roy helped bring the box up, groaning at the extra weight, and everyone crowded around the box to see what was in it.

“If it’s gold I want to get a huge keg to celebrate!” Axel bellowed.

“No duh it’s gold,” Hartley said, pushing him aside. “Screw a keg, we’ll need four or five to compensate.”

Mick grinned. “A keg for each.”

“For all the trouble it took us, it better be worth more than that,” Shawna grumbled. “I’ll make Wells pay for a new wardrobe, plus a keg for everything he’s done.”

“Ooo I can’t wait! Open it, Lenny,” Lisa pleaded.

Len stared at the box again, finally deciding. Each of his crew members looked back at him like vultures, ready to spring on their prey.

He used his cutlass to pry the chest open with Mick’s help. The lid was heavy and at least half of them had to pull to get a good look inside. When they did fully open it, their eyes went wide. There were a few stray jewels and gems in the box, but that wasn’t what drew Len’s attention.

Curled up in the middle of it all was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen with wispy brown hair and a bare chest. In place of legs, a tail the same color as the rubies on the lid covered his lower body. Gold streaks cut across the tail in a pattern of shooting stars, like constellations painting skin. A long, golden necklace with an emerald the size of a fist was the only thing the creature was wearing.

Hartley was the first to speak. “What the hell is that thing?”

Axel lips twisted in a smile that like a jester. “Wale, if it ain’t the catch of the day, I don’t know what it is.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first ever ColdFlash fanfic! I really hope you guys like it and I really hope I do the characters justice. Any comments, critiques, or things you want to see let me know in the comments below <3


	2. Ocean Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for all the comments and reads!

Everyone started to talk at once. The ship swayed back and forth with the steady beat of the waves, still anchored to the spot. The water beating the side of the boat trying to drown the rising voices.

“What the fuck is that thing?!”

“Maybe we can sell it? Claim a profit?”

“Ain’t it kinda creepy?”

“Anyone else craving sushi?”

“His butt is on the treasure,” Hartley grumbled, trying to push aside the creature without touching him. “Get him out.”

Lisa looked at Len with wide eyes. “What do we do with it?”

“I—“

Len paused as his crew held their breath. The red tailed creature still hadn’t moved from the chest, his head tucked down in a fetal position. Only the steady rise and fall of his shoulders told Len it was still alive. Alive and dangerous.

Axel was the closest of them all, practically skimming his nose on the creature’s tail. “It’s kinda cute, doncha think?”

Shawna pulled Axel away when the creature’s tail moved, just a flicker but it was enough. Lisa screamed, accidentally slamming the lid closed and everyone started talking at once again.

“This some freaky deaky shit.”

“Captain, what do we do?”

”I say we should throw it back right away!”

The voices rose higher and higher like the incoming tide.

“QUIET!” Len screamed.

The water seemed to stop in its tracks at the sudden outburst. Everyone froze, no one dared to move or even breathe. Len fought the growing headache forming on the side of his head, closing his eyes against the glares and fearful expressions. He never raised his voice. He never had to.

10...9...8...

Contingency plans, he always had contingency plans. If witches and voodoo doctors existed, surely underwater creatures could exist too. Then again, voodoo could be explained in its own way, this could not.

“I need a moment,” Len said quietly. His feet were already moving by themselves. “Mick, Lisa, a word?”

Mick and Lisa followed him to the helm, away from the commotion and the voices, but not before Len called over his shoulder. “Take our guest below deck and keep an eye on him. Alert me if anything.”

Axel saluted even though his smile didn’t meet his eyes anymore. “Of course, Captain. You can count on us.”

“Geez, he didn’t have to yell,” Hartley’s voice carried while Len shut the door to the captain’s quarters, breathing out a breath he hadn’t known he was holding.

Mick and Lisa gave him a few minutes to collect himself, taking in the space they had never been allowed to see.

The were right above the quarter deck, a staircase leading up to it on the far right, away from the rest of the room. Captain Lance liked to live minimalistic, but still tasteful with white walls and wooden furniture adorning her chamber. The bedroom had been locked long before Len and his crew could move in for the few short weeks, another mystery in which was Sara Lance.

Speaking of Sara, what had Len been thinking when he’d brought aboard a flipping, freak-show creature that looked like it belonged in a circus rather than a pirate ship.

He counted backwards from ten again when he sank into what was the couch in the lounge. The pillows were soft against his head, plush enough to lull him to sleep if it wasn’t for his racing heartbeat.

“So,” Lisa started. She took the vacated chair to Len’s right, taking his hand in one of her own. “Did you know about that thing in the box?”

“‘Course he didn’t,” Mick interrupted. The quartermaster had already emptied the liquor cabinet, pouring Lisa a drink first before taking a swig out of the same bottle. “Ya should’a seen his face when he opened that thing. If I know anything, it’s the look of anger when the sheets been pulled right from under your feet.”

“Not helping, Mick,” Len snapped, taking his own drink from Mick’s hand and downing it. The rum helped his headache at least, if not for anything else. Len wasn’t much for liquid courage.

Except the look Lisa gave him in that moment made Len want to drown himself in alcohol until he couldn’t remember a damn thing.

“What are we gonna do with it?”

“You’re asking _me_?”

“You’re the Captain, Lenny. And my brother. I’ll always ask you.”

The air stilled; the only sound came from Mick handling another bottle.

Len sat up straighter after a moment. “I think we need to get out of here before Wells gets back. Better to keep the chest and...whatever that is because it’s ours now. This ain’t my ship, but it sure as hell is my crew. Nothing’s going to happen unless I say so, got it?”

Mick grunted and affirmation. A tentative smile graced Lisa’s lips and she squeezed Len’s hand.

“Okay. So we’ll do that. I trust you.”

Len nodded, already standing up. Maybe if he could manage to get Mick away from the damn liquor for 5 minutes he could actually drown himself when everyone retired for the night.

In that moment however, someone tapped the glass of the double doors before barging in. A frantic looking Roy and Shawna poked their heads into the chamber.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Captain,” Roy said, shaking. “But our guest is awake.”

XXXXX

Barry woke up somewhere he had never been before, with people he had never seen before, standing over him like he was a being from another world.

They were human given their small ears, lack of fins, and smooth skin where his own had the finest of scales in place of human hair. There were two exactly when Barry blinked again, going to rub his eyes when the human closest hissed like he was in pain.

“Dammit, I shouldn’t have done that.”

“You _idiot_ ,” the other hissed. “Now we’re goners. Finito.”

“Shut up! I didn’t think _that_ would wake him up.”

Barry’s eyes adjusted to the light easily and he darted his head back and forth to see his surroundings. There was nothing concrete but barrels and rope and some kind of swinging beds swaying back and forth to their own melody. He could tell they were at sea, with the salty air just behind his wooden confines.

“Maybe we should tie him up? That might keep him under control.”

”It’s too late now.”

The humans appeared to be men—boys about his age actually. One had on all kinds of colors, blue, gold, and purple, meshed together into one long shirt with tassels falling at his sides. The other was plain in comparison with a dark green, almost black vest, trousers, and puffy sleeved shirt. Both had dark hair, but the more menacing green one had on glasses hanging off his freckled nose.

Barry tried to drag himself away when they approached but then he remembered moving on land with his tail wasn’t as easy as he thought. The red and gold had always made him proud, even if a little sad when the humans looked upon him again like an outsider.

“What are we gonna do?” The colorful one asked.

The green one pursed his lips and crossed his arms. It was a guard move Barry knew well. His father had taught it to him at a young age in order to give nothing away during meetings.

“Shawna and Roy just went to get the Captain. Hartley do something!”

The multicolored boy shook the one named Hartley by the shoulders until Hartley shoved him back.

“Quit crowding me. Look!”

Hartley pointed at Barry square in the face. The other boy responded.  
  
“It’s watching us.”

“No shit, Axel. Good eye you got.”

The colorful Axel made his way to sit down as close to Barry as he dared. Barry made sure to tuck in his tail and give the boy space just in case.

“Hi,” Axel waved. “I’m Axel Walker, gunner in this fine establishment. And you are?”

Barry opened his mouth to answer, but Hartley cut him off by pulling Axel away by the end of his shirt.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? We don’t know what it is let alone if it even understands us. Are you out of your mind?”

“I can understand you,” Barry said.

Hartley and Axel froze in place. Barry waved at them, more to show a sign of good faith rather than calm the pair down. Two sets of eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their skulls.

“My name is Bartholomew, but you can call me Barry. You must’ve rescued me.”

“Barry,” Axel echoed in wonder. Hartley smacked his head in irritation. “OW!”

“He’s talking. He’s _speaking_.”

Axel rolled his eyes. “Yeah, Hart. That’s what a conversation is called.”

Hartley smacked Axel’s head loud enough for Barry to hear. Then they were on the ground, wresting like they wanted to tear each other’s hair out. Almost like it had happened, it was over, Axel gripping Hartley by his vest and waving the boy’s glasses in the air.

“Give me those!” Hartley howled, taking a swing at Axel and missing entirely. Barry had to put a hand over his mouth to keep from grinning.

“If you can’t see me, you can’t hit me,” Axel said, releasing Hartley to scoot away, glasses still in his hands.

Hartley went to attack again just as a noise somewhere at the far end of the room alerted him. Barry heard it too, darting back and forth to try and wiggle away.

Again, his tail proved useless, only allowing him to skirt a few inches across the wooden floor to a barrel and try to shrink himself enough to cower behind it. The thing was heavy, but Barry was able to push it just find just enough for him to slip his tail behind it and half cover his body.

There were new voices, loud ones too, approaching at a rapid pace so Barry peered from the barrel to see what was happening. Axel and Hartley were in a very animated conversation with the newcomers, a bald, burly man and a very pretty lady wearing gold earrings the size of a plum. The burly man’s eyes darted to Barry and he ducked in cover, but not before seeing the eye patch gracing one eye and the lick of scars covering the other.

Axel’s voice was clearly delighted. “He can talk! His name is Barry and he says we rescued him.”

“Barry? Rescued him?” That was the woman. Her voice was sweet, almost charming when she said his name. “He said that?”

“Actually Bartholomew,” Hartley corrected. “Weren’t you paying attention, Axel?”

“How can I pay attention when your ego gets in the way of everything?” Axel yelled back.

“Like this.”

There was another slap of something hitting flesh and a short cry of pain. Beats of silence followed the cry, then pandemonium ensued when Hartley, Axel, and the woman started pointing fingers and talking at once.

“ENOUGH!”

The next voice was commanding in a way that made Barry’s skin prickle with goosebumps. It had probably come from the burly man with the lady; after all, he hadn’t said a word.

Barry detangled himself from the barrel to see what was happening. Axel now sported an angry red mark on his cheek, and the others had moved away to let someone new pass.

The lady was now talking silently with her hands, flailing them in front of the face of another person. It had to be a man because he towered a head, almost two over the woman. From the tips of his shoes, Barry could tell this person was important. They wore buckled soles, almost military fashion with pressed slacks peeking just below a long black tunic and leather belt. He was also armed to the teeth, a long midnight blue coat falling away to reveal three different pistoles strapped to his side, a few daggers, and a sword hilt gleaming menacingly.

“What are we going to do with it, Lenny?” The woman asked. “It looks half scared to death.”

“Yeah, _Lenny_ ,” Axel chimed.

Hartley delivered another devastating slap before the person called “Lenny” had everyone leave the premises. They obeyed him without question, shutting the door loudly on the way out.

The only sound was the waves crashing on the side of the ship, calling Barry out from his hiding place so he looked up. There was no one in the room, they must’ve left him alone.

He felt the small pulse of his necklace burn his skin with a warm light. It flashed a bright green before fading to its original clear and translucent diamond form.

That meant it was safe to come out.

Barry started to sit up and actually try to get to a chair he could sit on properly. His tail flailed miserably, but at least he didn’t land on his face when a lone chair sat in the far corner, illuminated by a lantern like a single spotlight. Barry was immediately reminded of those musical chair games he had seen humans play.

The trek took him forever, and he sighed in relief when he finally dragged his tail enough to half sit down.

Now that he was alone, Barry actually took the time to remember his surroundings. The space was large with all kinds of rope beds like he had seen when he’d woken up. Barrels covered the rest of the floor like a maze, both big enough to house a person and small enough like a glove box. Barry could smell all the different provisions inside each barrel from sweet fruits and vegetables to the tangy taste of rum. Whoever had designed this level hadn’t thought of aesthetic, only meticulous planning for something to have its place and fit into the wide range of clutter.

Someone cleared their throat and Barry almost fell to the floor. His skin prickled again, more from being out of the water for so long than actual fear. His necklace wouldn’t lie, it always told the truth.

“What are you and why are you on my ship?”

It was the same voice as before, this time deeper like he was trying to be threatening.

“I can see you’re the master of the ship.” Barry’s voice shook less than he thought it would. “My name is Barry. And I...I actually don’t know why I’m here.

I only wanted to say thank you for rescuing me. I’ve been trapped for days.”

“You don’t know why you’re here.”

Barry couldn’t see anyone near him, making the voice bounce off at odd angles. He tried to sit up straighter, like he’d been taught.

“I remember someone grabbing me. Their hands were around my neck and they had these startling blue eyes, like the deepest parts of the Maldives. You rescued me from them and for that I’m eternally grateful.”

“Are you?”

”Yes...?”

Something moved from the corner of Barry’s eye, and there at the far wall he could make out the dim shadows of the armed figure from earlier. Barry still couldn’t see his face, but the crossed legs showed off the buckles on the boots.  
  
“What are you Barry?”

Barry tried hard to keep a straight face. Wasn’t it obvious?

“I’m a mermaid—Uh, actually a merman because I’m a boy,” Barry answered with a flip of his tail. “We live in the deepest, darkest—“

The man didn’t move when he interrupted. “Are you planning to harm anyone on this ship, myself included?”

“Gosh no, I would never.” The question seemed almost silly. Barry continued in a rush. “You’re helping me and you all seem really nice. Why would I harm any of you?”

“I see.”

The figure moved, stepping closer into the moonlight. Now Barry could make out the hard edges of his chin, the rough stubble on his face and shorn hair, the piercing gaze of his eyes. His shoulders filled out his coat nicely, like it was tailored exactly to his measurements which, form the look of how detailed the stitches were, it probably was. Even in the low light, it took Barry’s breath away how beautiful he was.

“Do you know who I am?” He asked darkly.

Barry’s mouth floundered like a fish. He technically was part fish but he didn’t need to make himself look anymore fishlike in company like this.

“You’re the captain?” Barry guessed instead. It was a lame attempt at conversation and his cheeks burned when he averted his gaze. The floor was oddly pleasant.

“I am a captain, yes.” Barry’s eyes flicked to the man—the Captain—at once. “You may call me Len.”

“Len...”

The name was so much better than Bartholomew.

“I’m Barry,” Barry repeated again. He was so entranced with the way Len was watching him, like he wanted to dissect the merman piece by piece and Barry would honestly let him.

“I know.”

Len stepped towards him. Barry’s tail twitched in anticipation. He could now see the dark eyes, blue and mesmerizing but not quite as blue as the person who captured him. Len’s eyes were dark _blue_ , like the deepest trenches, with hints of silver like at the tips of his dark hair.

“That’s a lovely necklace you have there, Barry. May I see it?”

“My...my necklace?”

Len nodded and for some reason it was very hard to look away. Barry clutched at the gold wrapping around his neck, leading down all the way to the diamond pendant, one of his only presents ever given to him.

He tightened his hold possessively.

Len leaned back. “I see. So, Barry, you have no recollection what happened to you?”

“I already told you someone grabbed me and they put me in...”

Barry’s voice trailed off when he noticed what Len was hiding under the chair he had been sitting. The chest was red and angry, the gold no longer looking as appealing as Barry had once thought when he had opened it. Had been tricked into opening it.

Memories came back in a haze. The blue eyes were prominent, somehow looking more like _Len’s_ eyes now, except with a more calculated, more villainous intent. The chest’s lid opened and closed like a Venus fly trap, opening and closing and opening and closing.

It was only when Len’s hand came up to pet Barry’s hair did the he feel air rush back into his lungs.

“You’ve been out of water too long,” Len said, like that was the problem. “I’d like to ask you more questions later if you’re so willing.”

“I—I...”

Len drew away, coming back with a bucket filled to the brim he set at Barry’s feet— _tail_! Mermaids and mermen didn’t have feet.

Barry dipped his fingers in the water first to try the temperature, and sunk his tail after a moment. The sigh of relief must have slipped from his lips unwillingly because Len looked pleased, almost _amused_ , with himself.

It passed in a moment.

“I’ll leave you to it.”

The captain began to stand up, taking careful account to move any of the barrels blocking Barry’s view of the door. Each barrel had to weigh at least twice Len’s weight, but he pushed them away with ease.

“Would you like anything else?”

It was a loaded question. Barry felt like he was standing at the receiving end of a revolver. If he didn’t answer correctly the gun would fire and bury its bullet in the center of his forehead.

Barry liked his forehead very much so he decided to play it safe and shake his head instead of answering concretely.

Len took his leave, not even bothering to glance back as the door closed. Now Barry was left alone, in the dark, with an evil devil box that was staring at him like it was going to swallow him whole.

XXXXX

Len closed the door with a click and ascended the stairs to the upper levels of the ship. When he came up into the open air, his crew whistled and pretended to get back to work like they hadn’t been trying to listen this whole time.

Mick gripped his sword with only three fingers. “So? He any dangerous?”

“Hardly.” Hartley crossed his arms. “Every time I hit Axel the thing smiled like it was comedy gold.”

“Mick was asking the Captain,” Axel barked at Hartley. “Not you.”

The boys stuck their tongues out each other when Shawna pushed them roughly apart, coming towards Len with Lisa and Roy in tow. Mark was noticeably absent.

Lisa must’ve sensed Len’s eyes glancing at them all in turn. “Mark’s manning the wheel. We’re moving again, but he needs a new heading.”

“Tell him to dock at Hai Tac Island. We need to pay our local witch doctor a visit.”

Mick grunted. “Frost.”

Roy shivered like a snake was crawling up his spine. Others shared the same look.

”She gives me the heebee jeebees. Voodoo ain’t natural.”

“Neither is that thing in there,” said Shawna. “I ain’t getting near it.”

“Its name is Barry, and for now he will stay in there,” Len said. “If you’re not so keen to see the doc then by all means, stay on the ship, but rest assured this creature will be taken care of. I already gave him my word.”

It was decided then as they all parted. Shawna and Axel left first to their respective rooms, Roy excused himself to join Mark up at the wheel, and Lisa retired with a yawn and shake of her curls.

“Night, Lenny.”

Len waved his sister off, turning to Mick and Hartley, the only two apparently brave enough to stand anywhere near Barry.

“Mick do you mind taking the first shift? I need to send Sara a little message telling her why we’ll be a little later than scheduled.”

“You got it, Cap.”

“Hartley?” Hartley snapped to attention when Len addressed him. “What do you hear?”

Hartley stilled, listening to everything on the ship with ears twitching slightly. The perks of having a musician on board was their keen sense of hearing, almost as acute as that of a hunting dog.

“It’s quiet,” Hartley said finally. “He’s not saying anything.”

“Then you don’t mind staying with Mick to keep him company,”

Hartley made to protest, but Mick pulled him away with a rough shove.

“Come on, music boy. You can sing anything but ‘it’s a pirate’s life for me’.”

That night Leonard didn’t sleep, instead he sent Sara a message by dove and watched at the bird flew away into the night sky, the sun already peeking on the horizon.


	3. Card Sharp

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Incoming long chapter ahead! Thank you all for the support because it means the world to me <3
> 
> So on really quick side note, I described all the Rogues and decided to make Roy a ginger to have him stand out amongst the rest of the crew. I want each of them to be unique and fitting to both their comics and to The Flash show. Roy as Rainbow Raider, Lisa as Golden Glider, and Mark as Weather Wizard were all really challenging and fun to do!

Barry must’ve dozed off because he groggily opened his eyes to the painful sunlight streaming from one of the portholes. A blanket was wrapped around his shoulders in tight embrace as if someone was hugging him from behind. Barry didn’t know how it got there, but still the weight comforted him. He tried to shift in his seat, then remembered half his tail was sitting in a bucket.

Of course this was still happening to him.

Half of him wanted to believe it was a bad dream, a nightmare he had had when he was a child of being locked up, never to see the sea or sky again. Another part of him — the only rational part if he was being honest — knew this was all real.

The box was real, the ship was real. His situation was real.

He had to be with good people: Axel, Hartley, Lisa, Len. His necklace hadn’t alerted him of any danger so there was no reason to panic. Everything would be okay and eventually they would let him go, right?

At least that’s what he told himself.

There wasn’t much to look at besides the barrels and demon chest sitting in the corner, so Barry did his best to pass the time and wait. What was he to do when he had no legs and couldn’t reach the door? Humans counted sheep when they were bored, or at least that was what he had been told.

1...2...3...

The floorboards looked pretty against the red of his scales.

4...5...6...

The water felt cool and good against his skin when he splashed around.

12...13...14...

The clock on the wall told Barry when 7 in the morning morphed to 8.

126..127...128...

Counting sheep had become boring so Barry switched to counting how many ridges he saw in the bucket in front of him. So far there had been 68 different ridges when he ran his finger over the edge.

Time flowed like cement down a lazy river. Barry checked the clock again. 8:06, the world wanted to torture him.

The merman had never been one to check the time too much, always late to meetings, diplomatic or otherwise, and his father had hated it. Barry sighed now, the sunlight no longer a bother because it reminded him of his dad’s sunny yellow tail.

Henry had died years ago, an accident when trying to strike a deal with another kingdom. Barry had been made to keep away from the throne until they could find a worthy successor as Barry had been too young to rule on his own. That had been the first stone to crumble in his once proud kingdom.

Henry had been the only bridge between Barry’s kingdom of Allainia in the northern Atlantic to their neighbor Westerven in the Pacific. The two had plunged into chaos trying to reach a peaceful solution, but then Barry had left, and the rest...he didn’t want to think about the rest.

Barry didn’t want to go home, he barely had a home to go to anymore. His people needed someone other than him to lead them, after all, he was the one that had run away in the first place and then been kidnapped.

The door creaked open and Barry glanced up as Axel poked his head into the room, momentarily blinding them both with the sun. Axel’s hair wasn’t as dark as Barry had originally thought, spouting blond streaks as bright as the sun itself.

“You’re awake, fish dude.”

Barry waved timidly, pulling the blanket around him tighter. “Axel, was it?”

“And again he speaks.” Axel waltzed in followed by two new faces and a tired looking Hartley. “Just in time to meet the cast and crew.”

”The what?”

The ‘crew’ Axel had referred to moved cautiously towards Barry, almost tiptoeing. A mellow looking woman brought up the front as a taller, lankier figure followed from behind. The woman had to be at most in her early 30s, with bushy, curly black hair highlighting her darker complexion. Her outfit was on par with Axel’s technicolor coat. A tight bodice cinched by a maroon sash matched indigo pants, A graying puffy top, and striped boots. Her arms were covered in different babbles and bracelets that could fetch a pretty penny in any market.

“He doesn’t look very menacing, Hartley,” she said, regarding Barry with a nod in his direction.

“I never said he was.” Hartley yawned mid sentence, planting himself on a barrel with a sigh. “You just assumed.”

Axel tutted at the woman. “Assumptions assumptions, Shawna. Gotta get all the facts straight you know.”

The woman named Shawna seemed to consider. However, the lanky man using her as a shield looked like he was going to pee his pants rather quickly.

“Hi?” Barry tried. “I uh...might look a little different but I promise I’m harmless.”

“Right,” Shawna drew out the word. “And I’m the Queen of England. Nothing is harmless. Okay, babe?”

Barry blinked. No one had ever called him babe before.

“Roy, cut it out.” Shawna whirled around, peeling the person who she called Roy from her back. Even as she pushed him forward, the man shook with each step. “If he’s going to eat you he would've done so already. You’ve got no meat on your bones to be appetizing.”

If Roy had what was called a poker face, he was extremely bad at it. Out of all of the crew, he seemed to be the most skittish, his auburn hair startling red in the sun when he shook his head. Barry tried to extend his hand in greeting, but that apparently made situation worse.

“I like your jacket,” Barry said when it was clear Roy wasn’t going to get near him. It was as good as an ice breaker as any. “Did you make it yourself?”

The jacket was quite extraordinary with wide sleeves stitched together in a pattern that closely resembled a rainbow. The pieces of fabric had been woven together in such a way that each color never ended, only flowed to the next. It was also was the only color on Roy. Besides his red hair, the rest of him looked as grey as the high collared shirt and long pants covering his torso. Even though he was clearly a little older, Roy’s thin nose and skinny face gave the impression he was malnourished.

At least at the mention of his jacket, Roy’s panic softened.

“The sleeves took me forever,” he said proudly, and showed off the sleeves. “Almost a good few weeks. It was worth it to see the look on Axel’s face.”

From the corner, Axel pouted. “No one gets to be as colorful as me. I’ll get a new coat, just you wait.”

The gunner was digging into a banana in earnest, the whole thing gone in a few seconds. Dropping the peel in front of him with a flourish, Axel stepped on it and made to fall flat on his butt.

“Hey, Hart, I must find you _a-peel-ling_. Get it? ‘Cause I slipped on a banana peel.”

Axel’s laughter was infective because Barry laughed along with him at the stupid joke. Hartley put his head in his hands, or maybe he had fallen asleep, while Roy chuckled along with them and Shawna drew out a bottle from a barrel.

“Lookie what I found.” She held up the bottle like a prize. “Anyone wanna drink?”

“Here, here.”

Roy produced a glass for each of them, Shawna pouring and passing them out with a skip in her step. Barry tried to ignore the hesitation in her gaze before she passed him his glass, making sure not to brush their fingers together.

“Okay,” Shawna said. Everyone held their glasses except Hartley who was snoring faintly. Even when Axel repeatedly hit his shoulder the boy didn’t budge. “Let’s all drink to our new aquatic friend, Barry.”

Barry was about to tip the liquid into his mouth but then the door busted open and another person ran in.

“What the blood and ashes is going on here!”

It was the lady with the gold earrings from yesterday, wearing the boldest statement dress Barry had ever seen. It was all gold from her neck all the way down to the woman’s feet, simple yet elegant and something that definitely seemed out of place in the cargo-hold of a ship. There was also a generous amount of cleavage showing almost directly in Barry’s face so he made sure to position the glass to obstruct his view.

“We’re drinking,” Roy answered the question, drowning his drink in one go. “Celebrating the new guy and all that.”

“Oh! That’s right, you’re _Barry_.” The woman ran up to Barry, nearly toppling both Shawna and Axel to get to him. The bucket stood in her way of getting too close, but the woman’s eyes widened when she took in Barry’s tail and bright red cheeks to match.

“You’re so cute, sweetie. No wonder my brother didn’t kill you. I’m Lisa by the way.” Lisa held out her hand.

Barry shook it, reveling in the contact. Lisa had been the first person to actively touch him, besides Captain Len of course, who had pat his head last night.

Barry tried not to think too much, instead asked, “Wait, you’re who’s sister?”

Lisa laughed. It was bubbly and eccentric. “Why Lenny’s of course. I’m the little sister he’s so protective over.”

Barry drew back. Now that he looked at her, Lisa held some distinct facial features that did mirror the captain’s, albeit more feminine. Where Len had harsher eyes, Lisa’s were softer on the sides, with a bluer pupil almost like the sky on the clearest day. Len’s short hair also rivaled her longer locks, curling in at the sides. They were both pictures of elegance and beauty, even though Barry secretly knew which sibling he preferred.

“This is bull’s spit you started without me.” Lisa pouted. Barry offered her his glass but she graciously turned him down. “You’re the man of the hour, sweetie. The whole ship is talking about you.”

”About me?”

Everyone nodded.

”Why, you’re our guest,” Lisa continued. “Captain’s orders. If these scalawags give you trouble, be sure to tell me and I’ll make them swim through shark infested waters, m’kay.”

“Why are you talking like that?” Hartley asked. The banging of the door must have startled him awake. “You sound moronic.”

Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “A lady never curses, Hartley.”

“Yeah, _fuck you_ , Hartley,” Shawna said. She drank straight from the bottle and passed it over to Lisa.

“And then you wonder when you guys find bird excrement on your pillows,” Hartley grumbled, repositioning himself to better fit on not one, but two barrels. “You’re all morons.”

Axel turned so fast he hit Barry’s bucket.

“That was _you_?”

Hartley opened one eye. “I’ll shit on you any day.”

Axel and Hartley then began to bicker like they always did apparently. Barry used the time to actually drink whatever liquid was in his glass, while Shawna and Lisa watched from each side.

It had to be safe because everyone was drinking it, even if it did look a little murky. Barry poked a finger at it and then liked whatever drops could fall onto his tongue. He had never tasted alcohol before, but judging by how everyone else had been excited for their own drinking, Barry decided it must taste heavenly.

The drops burned when they hit his pallet and Barry almost dropped the glass in disgust.

“ _You guys_ _like_ _this stuff_?”

He continued to cough while everyone else giggled at his misfortune. Apparently drinking came with laughing, it had to be a side effect.

“You’ll get used to it,” Axel said, taking Barry’s still full glass away. “I remember my first time it was like wow, devil juice. But then after a few bottles I think I passed out on the deck.”

“That was the chillest day we’ve ever had on the ship,” Shawna recalled. “I still know exactly where Axel threw up. Outlined it and everything.”

“What really?” Barry’s eyes went wide, but then he remembered.

“I...” He picked at the blanket. “I don’t suppose you could show me anytime soon. I can’t leave.”

“Sure you can,” Lisa said. “We just have to be creative. Plus we’re not on our ship. This is a rental. No use keeping you cooped up any longer than you have to be.”

Barry opened his mouth to ask about the ship, but the door swung open, drawing everyone’s attention to the captain strolling lazily towards them. Barry tried not to ogle too much by the way he was finally seeing Len in the light. His skin was kissed by the sun, probably because he stayed out on deck for most of the day, and his eyes were bluer than ever. A large brimmed hat with a white feather was balanced on his head. Len also seemed to be staring at Barry, drinking him in again, and Barry failed to hide his gulp.

Unfortunately, his tail made a wave in the bucket, splashing whoever was closest to him.

“Nooo! Barry, dear.” Lisa unstuck her dress from her legs. “This was imported.”

Len finally seemed to notice what his sister wearing because he immediately shielded her from view. Still Lisa bent down to try and tug the water from her gold dress, bringing the neckline lower until it left little to the imagination.

Len looked like he would murder someone where they stood. Barry politely averted his eyes with his hands, parting only two fingers to see what was happening. “Lisa, is that your nightgown?”

“Ooh la la,” Axel snickered, wagging his eyebrows. “What a peep show.”

“Gross, pervert. You have a left hand, use it.” Lisa crossed her arms tightly over her chest. “And yes, it’s my nightgown, Lenny. You gonna call the kingship on me?”

Len rubbed his temples. “Go throw a robe on or something. It’s indecent.”

Lisa obeyed, but not before huffing, “I can dress how I want,” and slammed the door once she was gone.

“It better not be see-through!” Len yelled after her. Axel snickered again and the captain snapped his head over to give the boy a look that could scare a kraken. “You, out.”

Axel went to protest, accidentally knocking into Hartley who tumbled to the floor. Roy went to help him up, but Hartley was faster, springing up like an open clamshell.

“Captain! Sir, I’m awake.” Hartley swayed slightly. “I’d never sleep on the job.”

Len’s lips took on a form of amusement. Barry tried to focus all his energy on Hartley.

“How many songs did you play to Mick last night?” Len asked in his drawl that made Barry’s scales shimmer with warmth.

“Everything but ‘Cry Me a River’ and that new sonnet I haven’t learned.” Hartley shook his head like he was trying to forget a nightmare. “He’s insufferable after ‘10,000 Bottles of Rum on The Wall’.”

Len chuckled and Axel, Shawna, and Roy laughed along with him. Barry had never heard the rum song Hartley had mentioned, but counting to 10,000 at 3 in the morning sounded like an event he rather not participate in. On the other hand, it _had_ made Len laugh so how bad could it really be?

“In fact,” Len said. “All of you go to your posts. We’ve set course for Hai Tac Island and should be there by this evening. I need to have a word with Barry. Alone.”

The crew trudged out, Roy leading the way while a half asleep Hartley brought up the rear. Shawna closed the door behind her, shooting Barry a wink he had no idea what to make of.

Len then popped open a crate holding a bottle drenched in gold, and smirked.

“So, Barry. How was your night?”

XXXXX  
  


The look Barry gave Len when he has asked about his night made his smirk widen. This creature in front of him was so entrancing, Len could stare at him all day and see how many colors of the rainbow he could pull from Barry.

So far his favorite was the constant flush of scarlet in the merman’s cheeks, now dark enough to almost match the red in his tail.

If Len had specifically pulled out a gold covered bottle of wine to also match Barry’s colors, he’d never tell.

“I actually slept fine considering I was half in a bucket and half in a wooden chair.” Barry eyed the bottle warily, his eyes following Len to the other end of the room when he scooped up a chair with one hand and carefully balanced two crystal goblets in the other. “Thank you for asking.”

“My pleasure.”

Len set the chair down directly in front of Barry and sat with a swing of his legs so the chair back was on his chest. If he was any closer to Barry, his knees would be _in_ the bucket along with Barry’s tail.

“So,” Len started. He poured Barry half a glass of wine. “I have some questions for you, the first being how old are you Barry?

“I’m 25, will be 26 in a few weeks.”

Len blinked. This merman was barely a _man,_ no wonder he looked so young. Len was practically 15 years his senior. By Barry’s age, Len had already acquired a fleet of ships, pillaged eight cities, and killed quite a few other pirates who had tried to stand in his way.

The captain cleared his throat. “Do you like your wine?”

Barry shrugged, the color on his cheeks moving down his neck. “I’ve never tried it.”

“Never? They don’t have wine where you come from?”

Barry chuckled. “Where I come from we eat seaweed for breakfast and crabs for dinner. Octopus and squid have a nice texture too, but my favorite has got to be whatever human food I can find that you guys throw away. Chicken is the best thing on this planet.”

Len’s lips drew up in a smile he didn’t bother hiding. “I see. Wait until you try smoked beef. The meat practically falls right off the bone.”

“I’d like to try it sometime.”

There was silence when Len gave one of the goblets of wine for Barry to try. Their fingers brushed and Barry hung his head down like he was embarrassed.

“Thank you again,” the merman said. “For everything.”

Instead of answering, Len sipped his wine, letting the quiet linger. It was a simple interrogation tactic when he wanted to know more about someone, and he definitely wanted to know why Barry had been stuck in that box.

Barry must have liked the wine because he hummed in content.

“It’s sweet. Like sugar cane, or apples.”

“More like grapes,” Len corrected. “Wine is made in these places called distilleries. Sweet wine, like this one, has its own distinct grape people crush and ship out all over the world.”

Barry gazed at his wine with his big green eyes, seeming to take it all in, before he tipped the goblet and started drinking again. Len let his eyes wander from the boy’s Adam’s Apple bobbing up and down with each sip, to the golden chest on the floor a good feet away, precisely where he had left it yesterday.

“You must be starving.” Len’s eyes never left the chest. “To think you were stuck in something like that. Good thing I found you.”

Barry stopped drinking and Len glanced his way to see the goblet was empty, not a single red drop in sight, when Barry set it down next to Len’s boot.

“It couldn’t have been more than a few days,” he said. “It was pretty lonely, yeah. The wine helped though, so thank you. You don’t have to give me anything else.”

Len stood up. “Nonsense. You’re my guest.”

Len produced a loaf of bread from one of the barrels. It was hidden under a huge bushel of lettuce, radishes, and cabbages, the vegetables most, if not all of his crew hated.

”Here.”

Barry’s eyes lit up, the green freckled in with brown and gold in the light. “Hey, I know this food! It’s bread right?”

Len nodded, handing him the loaf. Barry accept it and continued to talk.

“I tried to sneak a piece with me back to the water this one time and it got all soggy and didn’t taste too well.” Barry bit into the loaf and made a noise that almost made Len blush with how erotic it sounded.

“It’s better to eat it fresh.” Len’s voice came out even. He wasn’t a religious man, but the universe had to smiling down on him so he sent a silent prayer. “That loaf is a few days old but I can get you another when we dock.

“No no,” Barry said through bites. “This is enough. It’s so good. Thank you, Captain.”

“Please,” Len said quickly. “Call me Len. Everyone in my crew does, therefore you can too.”

“Len...” Barry finished the last piece of bread and licked the crumbs from his fingers. “Sure, I’ll call you Len. You already call me Barry so it’s an even trade.”

“A trade, yes.” Barry was almost making this too easy. Len pushed aside the thought of having Barry smile at another piece of food. “Barry, I’ve shared with you some of my own personal life, my crew, my ship. Is there anything you want to tell me about your life?”

Barry seemed uncertain for a moment. Drawing the blanket up to cover himself further, he let out a huge breath,

“What do you want to know?”

“Anything you want to tell me. I don’t know much about mermaids and mermen so why don’t you start there?”

It wasn’t a complete lie since Len did know a thing or two about mermaids by watching Barry, like how their scales needed to be in water and how they did not grow legs when on land, that was interesting.

“Well,” Barry began. “I grew up in a palace so by your standards I would be a prince even though my people don’t see it that way. We only have one leader and then when he dies the throne gets passed on to the next one worthy, regardless if they are royalty or no. In fact, the kingdom where I come from wanted me to claim the throne before anyone else had the chance.”

Len nodded, leaning in with Barry’s every word. “Something tells me you didn’t stick around to rule. Or did you?”

Barry shuddered. “I...you have to understand it takes years for someone new to ascend to the throne.”

“I understand, and I’m not judging your actions, Barry. This is a safe space so you can tell me, or don’t tell me if that’s what you prefer. Whatever it is, I’m here to listen.”

Barry’s shoulders relaxed like a huge weight had been lifted even though when he continued talking he didn’t look at Len in the eyes.

“I didn’t take the throne, no. I didn’t want it. Now another neighboring kingdom is threatening my people and because of my selfish actions they’re paying the price. I was supposed to go meet with the other kingdom’s queen but I was kidnapped and here I am.”

“Here you are.”

Barry sniffled. Len tried his hardest not to look disgusted at the tears, but his face must have betrayed him because Barry cried harder. He was normally so careful around people, yet Barry pried him open like the pages of a book.

“I’m sorry,” Barry said through his tears. “You’re clearly interested in that chest but I don’t know how to help you. I can’t even get to the chest without slipping or falling on my face. I’m just so dumb and I don’t really miss my home, but I do, but then again I think about why I left and there’s nothing for me in the ocean anymore.”

Barry’s eyes glistened, the tears running freely down his cheeks. Len tried to grin, but it came out more like a grimace. He didn’t say a word, just let Barry continue babbling.

“I want to help, I really do, I just don’t remember why I went looking for the chest in the first place. Wait...that’s _it_ , I was looking for something.”

Barry wiped the tears off his face with the blanket, now wet and discolored from the seawater. Len could only offer a napkin he had found on the floor. Barry still accepted it without question.

“Don’t worry,” the merman said, motioning to his crocodile tears. “They’ll stop soon. I’m low on water so I don’t think I can cry too much even if I wanted to.”

Len nodded slowly, the plan he had thought up last night egging him to action.

“Wait here,” he commanded, as if Barry could go anywhere. The good thing about keeping a mermaid had to be the easy accessibility of knowing exactly where Barry would be at all times.

Len passed to the end of the room and wheeled back a medium looking glass tank he had had Mick bring over and fill last night. It wasn’t anything too spacious like the open ocean, but it would be much more comfortable for Barry to lounge in until they decided what they were going to do with him.

Barry’s gaze landed on the tank and a volley of questions erupted from the merman’s lips.

“So you’ll let me stay? I mean you don’t have to, but I kinda don’t know where I am at the moment and would like to take a few days to myself. I already said that, sorry! I mean it’s your ship after all, so your orders. Wow this tank is so much bigger than the bucket, thanks! And it’s see-through—glass you call it? You really don’t have to do any of this, Len—“

Len silenced the merman by half dragging, half pulling Barry out of the water himself. The cold water wasn’t as cold as the ocean, but the temperature change alone made Len clench his teeth painfully. Barry didn’t seem to mind too much to be out of the bucket, only making a startled noise when Len repositioned the merman so his tail wasn’t dragging against the wooden floorboards.

“If you’re going to stay longer I suggest we don’t dawdle,” Len said through his chattering teeth. “I don’t care what you do or who you talk to as long as you stay in this room and keep your tail in water, understand?”

Barry nodded, smiling thoughtfully. The blanket had fallen to the floor and Len tried to keep his focus on the tank instead of looking downward, even as Barry’s impossibly large grin brightened further.

He really did have a nice smile where his dimples showed more prominent across his pretty face. The floof of chestnut brown hair with hints of red like his tail also gave Barry this appearance of elegance and daintiness.

Len dropped Barry into the tank, not even bothering to step back as the seawater doused his coat. The shock was enough to stop the train wreck of his thoughts right before they crashed.

“Oh...”

Barry paddled around the glass tub, flicking his tail this way and that. With the rejuvenation of the water, the merman’s scales flicked in the light, going from bright red to dark vermillion to an even darker shade of garnet in seconds before starting the cycle again. Creatures of the deep really were fascinating.

“I have a lot to do today,” Len said, parting away from the glass. “Someone will come in a bit to check on you.“

Barry’s emerald eyes looked troubled for a second. Len must have imagined it because when the merman splashed his tail in the water, his smile was as radiant as ever.

“Everything is wonderful. Thank you again, Len.”

Everything was wonderful indeed.

XXXXX  
  
  


When Len left, Barry felt the energy of the room get sucked out with him.

Never had the merman wanted legs more than anything at that moment. He was still stuck in a bucket of water—a much bigger _glass_ of water at least—but to him it was still a prison of his own making.

The only entertainment Barry had was singing to himself quietly and remembering Len’s face when he listened to him, held him, gave him food and kept offering until Barry was satisfied.

The song was a simple nursery rhyme Henry had taught Barry when he was younger, years before his father had died. Barry barely remembered his mother, and no one so much as mentioned her name in Allainia.

“ _There once was a man, a man in a land of ebony snowy white,_  
 _And then by his side a church of grey tides who’d hit the starry moonlight.  
_ _He’d stare at the sky alone in the night with feathery grand wings,  
_ _But then one day his wings fell away to reveal his scarred sins.”  
_

There had been no judgement. It had been the safe space Len had promised him, even now in the glass casing, alone in the world Barry was safe.

 _“A raven crowed with its head bowed down, the man was left alone.  
_ _The wings ragged on, his torn jacket atop a grave headstone.  
_ _He sat with a smile he’d stay a while, but kept off to the side.  
_ _A single rose lay atop the stone its petals drenched with poison dye.”  
_

Barry had never been picked up before. Mermaids and mermen typically stayed away from hugs or any type of affection unless their parents or spouses provided it. Since Barry had neither it had been nice, pleasant, to be cradled in Len’s arms like that.

“ _And with his head tilted back he said to the raven crowing true,  
_ _‘I’d be happy as well with my feather pal if it weren’t not for you.’_  
 _The raven’s crown its head bowed down, the man was left alone,  
_ _To contemplate at the church of white behind the grace headstone.”_

Barry let his voice trail off. It wasn’t the last line of the rhyme, he just couldn’t remember anymore of it. A few hours had passed while he sat in the water alone.

“Looks like someone got a swanky new place to chill.”

Barry reared his head and Axel stood at the door in all his glory, carrying a duffle bag in one hand and a sandwich in the other. Even though he had just eaten, Barry’s stomach rumbled.

Axel practically danced over to the glass case, surveying Barry with awe on his face. “This is so cool! You’re bigger than I expected.”

Axel probably didn’t mean it like that, but still Barry blushed. The gunner took no notice however, fretting about to not slip on the water spilling out of the tank. Barry focused on the sandwich Axel offered him, biting into the deliciousness, making sure to not let any crumbs fall from his mouth.

“Can I touch your tail?” Axel asked when Barry was just about done. It was a normal request like asking Barry to hold his hand, but still Axel’s face twisted in nervousness.

“I’ve never had anyone ask me that before.” Barry extended his tail out, the gold of his fins almost poking Axel in the nose. “Go for it.”

Axel started giggling uncontrollably. Each stroke of Barry’s tail brought out a fresh laugh to the point where he was holding onto the glass for support.

“I’m so ticklish. Are you ticklish?”

Barry withdrew his tail. “I don’t think so. I’ve never been tickled before.”

It was at that moment Bay could pinpoint where the unbridled joy in Axel’s face turned to mischief. The gunner produced a large feather from absolutely nowhere, waving it across his face like he was preparing some sort of magic trick.

“I swiped this off one o’ the Captain’s hats. He won’t notice if you don’t tell, capiche?”

Barry watched the feather and gulped. “So what are you going to do with that?”

Axel’s laugh was like a dark melody. He reached across the tub to get to Barry, waving the feather like a sword. At the first touch of the soft strands on his skin, Barry started to howl in laughter.

It came in fits and bursts, and when he tried to move away Axel followed to the point where both boys were flailing about for dominance. Barry grabbed the feather, trying to give Axel a taste of his own medicine, but he accidentally dropped it and it sunk to the bottom of the water.

“Huh,” Axel said. They both watched as the feather didn’t come back up. “Those little rascals normally float.”

For some reason that was even funnier than the tickle torture. They dissolved again in a fit of laughter, only quieting when someone knocked politely on the door as to not be a disturbance.

It turned out to be Roy, Hartley trailing behind him, and the big bald-headed man that looked like he could bench press 12 Barrys led up the rear.

“Mick, Barry. Barry, Mick,” Roy introduced.

Anger rolled off of Mick in thick waves. Barry tried his hardest not to sink into the water, noticing the man’s muscles had muscles, peaking out of a vest of black coal. He was scared on every other part of his body that didn’t have tattoos covering the noticeable burns and knife marks. Even the eye patch was menacing enough to have Barry cower.

“Red,” Mick said in a rough, almost gravelly voice. “I’m gonna call you Red. I ain’t asking for permission.”

Rather than interject, Barry could only nod.

Roy and Axel settled down on the floor while Mick rummaged through the storage space to break open a keg of rum. Even Hartley looked more awake than this morning, no longer blinking behind his glasses. A hood was perched up over his hair, making him stand out among the others.

“What are you guys up to today?” Barry asked.

“What we do everyday when the ship is sailing smoothly and the Captain is hunched over the wheel,” Axel replied. “We play a good round of cards.”

The cards materialized out of thin air in Axel’s right hand. He picked one from the top, shuffled in the air, and then laid them out like a fan.

“You wanna join in the fun, Barry? Although don’t get my cards too wet or I’ll have to sue.”

Barry smiled but still shook his head. “I’ll watch this round, but thanks for offering.”

Axel distributed the cards. Mick picked his up first, clearly a master at hiding his expression, then Hartley who squinted like he couldn’t believe what he had just picked up, and then finally Roy who smiled through it all. Two cards were passed to each player, Axel’s eyes twinkling with each darting eye.

“I’ll throw in these gold rings I found...somewhere,” he said, producing two rings that shined in the light and tossed them into the center.

Without a word, Mick threw in a sack of coins that landed with a thunk. Hartley and Roy followed with more jewelry and coins, scattering them all in a pile for everyone to see. Barry took it all in from his tank. He had never been this close to that much gold in his life, yet here it seemed like the crew didn’t care what they bet.

“Where’s Lisa?” Roy asked after a minute. “She wouldn’t want to miss this.”

“The royal pain is still changing her outfit,” Hartley said, picking up a card and grimacing. “Damn, this was a bust. I’m out of this round.”

Mick grunted. “I’ll call.”

“I’ll match,” Axel pronounced.

It ended up going to Mick, his Four of a Kind beating Axel’s Flush.

The gunner dealt more cards again and the game continued.

“You know,” Hartley said, his Straight Flush besting everyone else. “I didn’t think I’d ever have a real mermaid on board. I thought that fish smell would always come from Axel.”

Roy nodded. “You’re not wrong. Mermaids and mermen are the stuff of legends. Myths.”

“‘Course legends should bring good luck.” Mick grinned when he won another pot. “So what are ya, Red? Good luck or bad?”

“Good?”

At least Barry hoped he’d was good luck. His luck hadn’t run out just yet, especially when he was able to partake in such lovely company as the rest of the crew. They all watched him from the corners of their eyes.

“Alright, I’m out,” Roy said, getting to his feet.

“What? You can’t be out,” Axel complained. “I was just about to mop the floor with you.”

“Did you look at the time? It’s nearly half passed 2. Some of us still take our jobs seriously around here.”

“I better go too,” Hartley said. “The Captain wants to hear my new song some time this week and I’m not even close to finishing.”

“You can ask Barry,” said Axel.

Now all eyes were on Barry.

“What?”

“Pfft, don't be modest, little merman. I heard your singing before I came to check on you. Lovely tune, good pipes. Hart would be happy to have ya on board.”

Mick elbowed Axel in his side. “Better the fish singing than you, Ax. We’ll be walking the plank if you open your mouth in a verse again.”

Axel wiggles out of Mick’s hold. “That was one time! I can’t believe you’re bringing that up again.”

“Mark went overboard trying to get away from you,” Roy recounted to Barry. “We thought he was committing suicide.”

Barry didn’t know who Mark was, but he still probably hadn’t met most of the crew so he didn’t ask either. Roy and Hartley took their leave, opening the door just as Lisa came strolling in with a smirk on her face and a hat on her head. She wore the same golden jacket Barry had seen her in, but now her ensemble was paired with a dark velvet dress, the bodice popping out in all the right places, and black pants.

“Cheerio, gentleman,” Lisa said, all smiles.

Hartley rolled his eyes when he passed and left. “This again.”

Lisa noticed the card game immediately, her eyes dancing.

“Have you all been playing without me?”

“No?” Axel tried, hiding behind his cards.

Mick’s mouth twisted. “Ya’re late so we started without you.”

“Spoilsports.”

Lisa took up Roy’s discarded cards, made a face, and ended up taking Hartley’s instead. She sat with her legs crossed, her dress puffing around herself like a dark cloud.

Axel started to deal out the cards again, this time crinkling his nose every time he lost a play. Lisa won some but most went to Mick who continued to be more amused with every play.

After a few more games, Barry asked, “Can I play?”

Lisa gawked. “Of course, sweetie. Deal him in boys.”

Axel passed Barry two cards and he immediately waited to grab some more, counting as he went. It took a few turns and for Lisa to deal a bag of coins in Barry’s name for him to slap his cards down in triumph. Four Aces and a Queen gazed up as Mick, Lisa, and Axel all tried to mask their surprise.

“Heyyyy,” Axel drew out the ‘y’. “Look who’s a little card sharp.”

“I used to watch some sailors when I was a kid,” Barry said, grinning. “Picked up a thing or two.”

“Doesn’t matter how good you are,” Mick’s voice grumbled. “Ya slugs will never beat the master.”

Mick held up a Royal Flush in all Diamonds and barked out a laugh, picking up all the coins, baubles, trinkets, and a tiara in his arms.

“This is all mine, thanks for playin’.”

Lisa threw her cards away and Axel scrambled after them. Mick cackled as he left, keeping the door ajar for anyone else who would follow him. Axel shoved his hands into his pockets while Lisa jutted our her hip.

“He always wins, Barry,” she said. “Maybe next time you can get him for sure.”

“Do you know any other games?” Axel asked. His cards were suddenly back into his hands, and he passed them from palm to palm.

“I know a little Go Fish,” Barry said cheekily.

  
XXXXX

Len stepped away from the longboat off the shores of Hai Tac Island. It was a place covered by heavy mangroves and little vegetation. The network of bridges was the only means of transportation on the island, and any poor soul who was shipwrecked either died from starvation or the bitter cold produced by the one person living in the desolate place.

She came to get Len and Mick immediately, gliding in the way she did with her bare feet. Her white dress was blinding among the shrubbery and debris. It matched her pale hair and even paler face.

“Doctor Frost,” Len said with a tip of his hat. He could already feel a chill creeping up his spin. “I see you got my message.”

“And what a message it was considering you threw me away the second I gave you what you wanted.” Frost crossed her arms. “You haven’t changed.”

“And you’re...” Len cast a glance around the shambles of the island. “The same.”

Frost pressed her blue lips together. “While we don’t all live on a fancy ship fit for a king, I make do with what I have. Some might even call it homey.”

Len didn’t comment on the bones floating in the mangroves. “I rather make this quick, Doctor. I have a problem.”

”With my island?”

“With your map.”

Frost’s eyes burned brightly with amusement. “Did it not show you what you were looking for, Captain? Or are you too absentminded to visualize what it is you want?”

Len sneered, biting back something nasty. Frost was a powerful being who could help him. A powerful ally was much more considerate in the grand scheme, especially when he still needed her.

“Let’s just say Well’s head is still not on my wall like I planned.” He said nonchalantly. “I know he can’t be tracked too easily, but you’re the best in the business and I wouldn’t come to you otherwise.”

“And is that the only reason why you’re here?”

“Give or take. That’s still to be decided.”

Frost looked away for a moment, pensive while she hovered about the ground. 

“Unfortunately, I can’t turn you away because we have a contract. I suggest then you follow me, gentlemen. These things are better discussed away from the outside world.”

They followed her down the path to her home. Mick stopped to survey the area every so often while Len half tuned into Frost’s explanation.

“All of my enchanted items always work. Perhaps you are the one that is defective.”

“Unlikely.” Len paused to go down the same path as the doctor. “It showed me how to get to Wells’ last location.”

“And did you find it?”

”In a matter of speaking.”

Frost glided across another bridge and Len stopped so fast Mick almost bumped into him. He felt the overwhelming urge to fall dead asleep in her presence as if she was trying to lead him to his watery grave. The unstable, rickety bridges didn’t help either.

They were at the fifth juncture, which meant it was the fifth time they had stopped and the fifth time Frost had struck up a new question.

“Will anyone else be joining us?” She asked in her icy tone. “Speak now or forever hold your peace.”

Mick answered quickly. “Actually, the rest of us are ‘fraid of you, doc. They call ya a witch doctor, if you believe ‘em.”

“Do they now?”

Len elbowed Mick in the ribs. It was one thing to ask questions, it was another thing to be insulting. Mick didn’t so much as flinch, waiting to see what Frost would say to his outburst. He actually looked pleased with himself.

“Tell your crew I’m more of a healer than anything else,” Frost said. She started to float down the right path, not even pausing to see if she was being followed. “I don’t like the term witch doctor.”

“Do you prefer the term voodoo instead?” Len asked.

He gestured around himself. The many dolls on trees painted a deadly picture. They were all shapes and sizes, colors and dimensions. Some wore clothing even Len couldn’t dream of owning, while others were dressed in nothing but the air around their decaying bodies. There were small dolls, big dolls, different faces and proportions and materials.

Frost’s fond expression told Len she was pleased with her handiwork.

“A girl has to have her protections. I could say the same thing about you, Captain. You bring your body guard and pistols wherever you go?”

Len’s hand traveled to his side on instinct where one of his revolvers and his trusty cutlass where strapped to his belt.

“Extra protection never helps. Especially with one as...jaded as yourself.”

Frost laughed, loud and deliberate. Her laugh wasn’t all that charming though, because it reminded Len of the crackle of flames—ironic with her name. It was rough and ugly coming from a creature as beautiful as the doctor. He noticed Frost didn’t try to hide it behind her hand.

He also noticed the way Mick’s frown made its way into a dopey grin.

Len fought the urge to roll his eyes; where Mick was rather reserved with everyone else, he seemed to have the hots for anyone remotely unstable.

“Make yourself at home, gentleman,” Frost cast them a wicked smile before beckoning both men deeper into her lair. “It seems your amusement has helped passed the time.”

A single tree stood in a clearing that had not been there before, with a door etched into its bark like it had simply been grown that way. The curling flowers desperately tried to claim the last remnants of the darkening sky as the treehouse sucked up their nutrients. There were no bird calls, no animal sounds, and no wind, just the desolate isolation and cold of the island.

The mildew and moister hit Len head on when he entered the house. There was no clutter and every square inch was covered in books, maps, jars, and equipment. There was no dust and the books are pristine and untouched, just like everything else in the room as he continued forward.

There was also a trap door in the middle of the room left wide open for anyone to see the dark abyss that seemed to swallow every bit of light in the room. Frost descended the stairs with not so much as a glance back. There was slight movement in the blackness.

“Don’t touch anything, don’t look at anything. I’ll be back shortly.”

Mick shrugged and Len gave him a firm nod before they moved to opposite sides of the house to await Frost. Len already knew never to follow a witch, doctor or not, into their secret chambers. He had worked enough with the supernatural to leave their business alone.

“What does this doc do again?” Mick asked. The clock on the wall started to turn the second hand backwards when he passed it. “For being such a babe, this is some freaky shit.”

“Rest assured we’re not here for a social visit.” Len picked up a potion recipe that had fallen to the floor, and recognized a few words like ash of thyme, star cat-roots, and peppermint. He put it back on the shelf. “Frost needs to answer for our...predicament.”

“Ha! Ya think she set us up? That’s rich, Snart. Even from you.”

“Don’t you think it’s rather strange my hunt for Wells is coming to a head and suddenly now we’re stuck with a merman on board? That’s not a coincidence.”

“I told ya to get rid of it.” Mick whistled at one of the jars he was glaring into. “Snuffing people out is what we do.”

“And what if I need him for Wells? What if he...”

No. Len didn’t want to think about that bastard right now.

Mick shrugged. “Does it matter? Kid’s got something alright to be on our ship and survive the night.”

“ _Sara’s_ ship, not ours,” Len corrected. “He’s interesting, don’t you think?”

Mick rummaged through one of the books and came back with a bottle of a murky, brown substance. He uncorked it, smelled it, did a taste test, and after a full minute of not passing out and dying, decided to take a long sip.

“The only thing I’m interested in is getting back and drinking till I pass out,” Mick said after he wiped his hand on his cheek and threw the container over his shoulder where it shattered. “Everything else don't matter in the long run.”

Len saw the content of whatever had been in the vial burn a small hole in the wood.

“I doubt Frost thinks too kindly of me, especially while you trash her place.”

“Not many people think too kindly of you, Snart. Myself included.” Mick whistled at another jar holding a batch of sticky, slimy eyeballs that looked like they were oozing. “Ya think Frosty has a remedy for eyeballs? I’m lacking in one an’ getting a replacement might come in handy when yer decide to get off your ass.”

“Complain more and maybe you’ll have to ask her blind,” Len said through gritted teeth. Mick knew he would never do that to his best friend, but the comment still made him back off and look at something else.

One of the global paintings on the wall caught Len’s eye and he was automatically drawn to it.

“Let me see that map again.”

Mick didn’t need telling twice to stop whatever he was doing and pull out the map. It unfurled in one smooth motion, going all the way down to the tips of Len’s boots when he took it and held it up to match the height of the global painting on the wall.

”Why didn’t it work?” Len seethed. He held the map so hard his knuckles hurt from the strain. “I better find out what’s wrong with this or so help me I’ll—“

”You’ll what?” Frost interrupted.

She had stepped out of her hidden chambers like a ghost, and with a wave of her fingers the floor creaked and the trap door slammed shut as if it hadn’t opened. Len did his best to ignore the dark red spots on her white gown when she approached him on floating feet.

“So,” Frost said with a smile that’s didn’t meet her eyes. “You say the map doesn’t work, yet clearly you found something.”

Len was momentarily taken aback, so much so the doctor took the map from his fingers and held it close to her face like she couldn’t see. Whoever her fingers touched turned a faint shade of blue until the whole map started to glow with a strange energy.

“Just because it led me to something doesn’t mean it works.” Len crossed his arms. “Like I said, Wells is still parading around while I have no use of finding him. Just peachy.”

“Hmm...” Frost folded the map at an odd angle and continued to look at it. “It seems my magic did the trick. It showed you what you needed to find and that was that.”

Frost turned away, but not before tossing the map back over her shoulder like she no longer wanted to look at it. Without her touch, the map flopped uselessly to the ground, losing its blue aura.

“I won’t suppose you’ll tell me what it is you’ve found if it’s so important to see me?”

Frost did not take her eyes off of his face when Len spoke. “I don’t think you’d believe me if I told you.”

Frost laughed again, but this time it wasn’t as grating as before.

“Really, Leonard?” At the mention of his name Len bawled his fists. “You’re inside a wooden house talking to a maiden cursed to live on a magic island for all eternity?”

Frost’s eyes grew dark as she stalked forward at a slow, grating place. The room plunged several degrees lower than it was already. The witch’s head twisted around to such an odd angle that would’ve killed a normal human, and Len stepped back in order to escape.

“How absolutely childish to think I haven’t seen it all,” was all Frost finished with before she turned away.

Len released a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding when the room temperature returned to somewhat normal. Beside him Mick gave a very weary glance around.

“If I were to, let’s say...” Len fought to try and find the right words. “Bring you upon my ship and show you exactly what we’re dealing with, would you?”

“Depends what it is,” Frost said through pursed lips. “I’m a busy woman, Captain. I don’t have all day, and if this so called ‘thing’ is just a ploy—“

Len held up his hands, palm up. “No tricks or treats. You’re welcome aboard to see for yourself.”

Frost nodded at that, but still didn’t relent her questioning. “So are you going to tell me?”

Len tried to keep his voice as steady and charming as possible. Maybe Frost was right andshe _had_ seen other creatures like Barry. Other dark, fish-tailed creatures that apparently might also come in a box.

“Do you know anything about mermaids, doctor?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will have some new faces introduced, stay tuned~


	4. A Frosty Welcome

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this update took forever! I was in and out of writer’s block plus college and work. Hopefully this new chapter makes up for all the waiting. The next one will be updated very soon. Promise~

It was getting late and they were still docked at an unknown, spooky island Barry had never heard of. He sighed and tried to drift off for the third time in the last half hour. Alone. Stuck in a lukewarm tank of water.

Half the crew was sleeping while the others lounged about, taking turns to watch over the ship so no one accidentally stumbled upon an unsuspecting merman. Axel had volunteered first, joined later by Roy who brought his sketchbook and assorted paints of all the colors of the rainbow.

Lisa had taken her turn next, sharing all kinds of stories about the Rogues and their journeys. In the few hours she had spent with Barry, he had learned so much, like how cake could be made in tiers, not just in slices, and now Port Royal was the biggest city on the water to get information. Of course, it didn’t help half the crew was banned from Port Royal and would be beheaded or shot on sight if they were caught, but it was the thought that counted Lisa had said.

Shawna finally introduced Barry to Mark, the last member of the crew he had not met. Mark turned out to be a tall, broad shouldered man who sported a messy man bun and a light beard of his sandy hair. He also had a thing for patterns, wearing a sleeveless coverup with swirling wave designs he claimed to have won in a game of cards. The musket strapped to his side reminded Barry of the guards he had seen a few times on their ships sailing across the ocean.

It had all been fun and games until 2am had rolled around. Now Barry was alone, staring out the porthole closest to his tank. The moon and stars twinkled down at him and he decided to name as many constellations as he could see.

There was Canis Major in the shape of the hunting dog Laelaps, followed by Gemini’s rough “U” shape. There were other dotted stars too like Lyra the musician, Orion, and the faint outline of Taurus. It was about to be early January, Barry’s birthday month, and he couldn’t see Capricorn too clearly but at least he had the other stars to keep him company, even as his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

He wasn’t allowed to see the stars from Allainia, only when he snuck out to a secluded cove away from any seafarers or fellow menfolk. There they had seemed to be always obscured by the clouds or the moon or even a minor occurrence of birds migrating in their respective months. Here on the ship however, the constellations were as bright as the lantern hanging on the walls.

He sighed, floating on his back. The tank wasn’t crowded so the merman could stretch out his tail like normal, but there was no space to do laps or even lay comfortably without hitting the sides. Still, anything was better than sleeping on the rickety chair.

He must have fallen asleep because a commotion above deck alerted him. Barry swam to the side, trying to peer as best as he could in the darkness. He didn’t have to wait long until someone opened the door to the cargo hold, ushering in the moonlight and Len who looked weird and somehow cranky at the same time. Those emotions banished however when he took one good look at Barry.

“Len?” Barry asked when the captain strolled over to him. There were large red spots above Len’s temples like he’d been rubbing them too much. “You’re back! Is Uh...everything okay?”

“Everything’s peaches and roses,” Len said curtly. “I’ve brought a guest to look you over. Take care, she won’t hurt you on my watch.”

Those words should have been comforting, but for some reason they weren’t as a sudden chill gave Barry goosebumps. The glass of the tank felt cold, almost like touching ice so he reared back, trying his best not to touch anything. His necklace flashed a pale blue like it was being iced over.

A woman came through the door as Mick shut it behind her. If Barry hadn’t known better, he’d say she was a Moon Goddess with silver hair, pale blue eyes, and a shimmering gown made of the whitest stars. There were also streaks down her cheeks like tears, but they were a part of her skin.

“Is this the mermaid?” Her voice was flat.

“Merman,” Len corrected.

The woman crossed to Barry, seeming to glide like the floor was a thin sheet of ice. Around her the temperature dropped to the point where Barry’s teeth clattered together and he rubbed his arms poking out of the water.

“Barry, was it?” Now the voice was shimmery to the point where it bounced off the walls and penetrated deep inside Barry’s chest. “I’m Doctor Frost and I will be examining you.”

XXXXX

Dr. Frost made quick work of examining Barry from the tank. Len could only stare as the merman darted his eyes towards him, offering a small smile he didn’t care of matching.

Frost barely said a word, only muttering to herself in a voice that was quite inhuman. As soon as she inspected Barry’s tail and touched a few key scales did she actually appear to gasp when the colors changed before her.

”Exquisite.”

It was like watching a red sky when Barry let his tail flash with color. The constellations glimmered on his scales, trailing up to his upper torso so it too shined when the light hit just right. His face now matched that scarlet hue on the rest of his body with Frost’s praise.

“Have you ever hit your head, Barry?” Frost asked, not bothering to mention to shimmering scales again. “Any concussions? Contusions?”

Barry rubbed the back of his head. “I fell into a trench once. Does that count?”

Instead of laughing Frost’s stare was cold. “No. It does not.”

Axel grumbled something under his breath, but froze in place when Frost looked at him with a face that said ‘keep quiet or I will make you.’ The gunner immediately shrunk in on himself.

Len did his usual reconnaissance from a distance, watching, waiting, preparing for what came next. The whole crew had joined, each taking several places around the room so they could still hear everything but kept a wary distance away from Frost. Hartley and Axel were curled up on the floor, Lisa was with Mark and Roy by the barrels, and Shawna sat cross legged on a chair continuously fidgeting.

No one said a word, but their faces said plenty to their own opinions. If there was any proof of the supernatural, now was the time for them all to see it up close and personal.

”I want you to look at this,” Frost said, holding up a single bone-white finger that looked more like an actual bone then skin. Barry followed it with his eyes. “Do you feel anything in particular with your vision?”

”A little headache but nothing else. Is that normal?”

Frost hummed without saying a real reply. 

For what it was worth, Barry took all the questions with grace, not once giving at least a partial answer. Len had to admire that in him. The constant shifting of places and people would’ve given him a headache too, then again Barry couldn’t choose what would happen to him, unlike everyone else in the room. He wasn’t bound by real shackles, but Len would do everything in his power to keep him stored away for his personal amusement until he got some answers. Frost’s voice boomed in his head

_“Word of the wise, Captain, this creatures can be deadlier than I at times. Are you sure you want to keep it?”_

Someone tapped Len’s shoulder and he tilted his head to see Mick in his peripheral vision. Mick nodded to the door and started to walk away, leaving Len to follow. It wasn’t odd for the quartermaster to be be twitchy with so many people, but this was still business he should see, no matter how uncomfortable he got.

After a few beats of silence, Mick gave his final warning in a death stare—sheesh, touchy. Len closed the door to the cargo bay When Barry was in mid laugh.

“What?” He snarled. when he saw

Mick leaned on the railing like he hadn’t been totally napping on his feet. “This mermaid is messing with your head.”

Len almost blinked at the comment. Almost.

“He’s a merman and he’s not,” he said instead. “Maybe you’re just jealous he’s getting all of Frost’s attention.”

Mick narrowed his eyes and growled, causing Len to smirk. “You’re gettin’ soft.”

”Why do you think that?”

”Ya own a mirror, look at ya.”

Len leaned against the door to appear more causal, and also hear if anyone was listening in on their little conversation. “Here to insult my face or are you going to get to the point already?”

“This merman ain’t fuckin’ up our plans. We’re still the most feared pirates on the seas.”

“Second most feared,” Len rebutted. “Right now, Sara’s got a bit of a lead repairing my ship and all.”

“ _Our_ ship,” Mick grunted. He stepped forward, but knowingly kept his distance. “I respect the Doc, but this is nuts, Snart. We gotta do what we do best: rob, pillage, plunder, and kill. So let’s go do that.”

Len let his head hit the side of the door as he tried to fight his signature drawl from coming out. That plan honestly sounded like a dream compared to his plan slowly unraveling at the seams. Mick had a point, this _was_ nuts and bolts and everything in between, but it had to be done in the large scheme of things. He had to see the plan through.

“Ima tell the crew to buckle up,” Mick said trying to push past. “We’re gettin’ _our_ ship back.”

Len grabbed his friend by his collar. It was a stretch, even if they were about the same height, but Mick was bigger, wider. And definitely angrier.

“What ya gonna do, Snart?” Mick jeered. “Hit me, I dare ya.”

As much as he wanted to hit him, Len knew he couldn’t—Mick knew it too. So the captain settled for shoving his friend away and wiping his hands on his coat.

“You do as I say, and I say we stick around till we hear what Frost has to say. This is only a minor setback”

”I knew it.” Mick straightened his collar. “Ya’re getting soft. I say we ditch the mermaiden and do what we do best. Or kill ‘im, whatever you want.”

”We can’t ditch him or kill him.”

”Why not?”

”Because that creature is my ticket to finding Wells and killing him.”

Mick made a gruff sound while rolling his eyes. Len smirked, looking to see if he’d find a brain back there if he decided to look.

”So what’s the plan then, Snart? He don’t exactly look like me an’ you, but I can see why ya’d fall for a pretty face. We take him with us and then what?”

”I haven’t thought that far yet.”

Mick had that look that meant he was seconds before pulling out his gun and doing shooting something. Len knew his temper was starting to get the best of him, and the finger he shoved in Mick’s face proved his friend was waiting for him to pop and take advantage of the whole situation.

Counting backwards only worked when Mick _shut up._

”Seems ya’re not only gettin’ soft, but losin’ yer touch too. Don’t got all day for you ta not come up with something.”

Mick’s smile turned maniacal as he jabbed Len in shoulder. It was just a tap, but all the same. If Len had been holding anything—a fork, a gun, a piece of paper—it would’ve been shoved into the wall with just how fast his anger spiked.

“It’s called adapting to the situation. I don’t see you trying it anytime soon.”

”Why should I when you’re being so much of an ass all I gotta do is adapt to you! Take care of the fucking mer-thing or I will.”

“I trying, smart-ass. They’re just one teensy little _problem_. Haven’t you noticed there’s a little thing he doesn’t have that you and I do!”

Mick glanced down at himself. “You wanna see Red’s dick that bad?”

Honestly Mick was so dense it took every semblance of Len’s being not to choke him.

“ _Legs_ , Mick. The kid doesn’t have legs.”

“So? Ask the doc to make him a fancy pair.” Mick shrugged like it was the obvious answer. “I’m sure she can.”

Len was about to laugh at the comment, but then he actually stopped and thought about it. Through his muddled anger, a plan was beginning to slowly form.

Frost had magic, voodoo magic, and she was not of this world, just like Barry. Barry only needed temporary legs for a while, at least until Len got his ship back and he could properly exploit the merman to all of his hidden secrets, finally figuring out what to do with him once the time came. If he proved useful, Barry could simply walk away—without his tongue of course because Len didn’t need rumors—and life would return as normal with his goal complete and Well’s head on a spike. If Barry couldn’t do more than fumble around, he would be dead by the sword. Simple.

Maybe the good doctor was the source of their salvation after all, even if there were a few holes in the plan. Len felt his good mood already creeping in.

“That’s not a bad idea,” he said simply. Mick narrowed his eyes further.

“What?”

”I said it’s not a bad plan. I’ll see that Frost makes herself useful and crafts a pair of legs for our guest. Can’t have him looking too out of place when we see Sara.”

”An’ after I’ll shoot him just to be sure. Can’t have any lose ends.”

“After I get the information I want from dear old Barry, I’ll decide what we do.”

Len slid past his friend to rejoin the group, their conversation already over. Mick grumbled something about giving him credit for the idea while Len ignored him and painted on a picture of business and class.

Apparently, there was also another picture waiting for them, something very out of the ordinary. Whatever conversations that had happened seemed to have cleared the room of any negativity towards the frosty doctor, and spell the crew had to despise Frost was chilling away piece by piece.

Axel and Roy were closer to Frost, even though they still weren’t within touching distance. Shawna and Lisa talked amicably on the further side of Barry’s tub, the occasional glances and smiles indicating they were okay with being so close to any magical creature. Mark still stood where he had always been, but at least he seemed to be listening intently to what Frost was saying.

The only one not in the fray was Hartley, who watched as Len and Mick came back into the room. His eyes bore into the back of Len’s head as he turned away to continue sulking in his corner.

“Doctor,” Len regarded Frost with a nod when he came close to the tank. He ignored Barry’s smile. “We have some things to discuss.”

“Yes we do. Barry was bleeding.”

“ _What?_ ”

Len tried to keep his voice down, but apparently he failed and his crew started to lower their voices in order to listen like bats. Some, like Hartley and Shawna, blatantly stared at him.

“What?” He repeated a little calmer. “Where?”

“Everything okay?” Barry cut in. His eyes were wide.

“Do we have to do this here?” Len asked Frost as he stole a glance at Barry who gave his sunniest smile.

The doctor pursed her lips. “Aren’t you the captain, Captain? If you’re so busy right now, let me know. I can see how diligently you ask for my help, yet you refuse to address the matter at hand.”

Len gave the doctor a run for her money with the coldest look on the ship.

“I need to speak to Ms. Frost alone,” Len commanded. “So, out.”

Everyone was on their feet at the same time. Roy and Lisa got to Barry first before Frost put up a hand to wave them away. They were the first to leave, Lisa especially giving Len a dirty look, but he rolled his eyes. Hartley, Axel, and Mark sulked in the corner as they too turned to leave, not before stealing glances. Shawna was the last one to the door, even as Mick pushed her out.

“You can’t keep pushing us away, Captain,” Shawna said. “We deserve to know too.”

With that she closed the large metal door behind her, no doubt staying to listen with the rest of the crew. Len pointedly gave the door a firm shove to make sure it was closed all the way before he made his way over to Barry and Frost.

Barry cupped his hands together and splashed water on his face. “Is something wrong?”

“No,” Len said while Frost gave a quick “Yes.”

They both glared at each other.

“Barry.” Frost ran a cold hand through Barry’s hair and he shivered at the touch. “You were bleeding, past tense. Something definitely hit you over the head and caused temporary memory loss. It’s why you don’t remember what happened when you were trapped.”

It was that slight touch that made Len rethink the situation. While Frost was certainly still frosty, Barry seemed to bring out another side to her, something caring and motherly. He was almost sad to break whatever spell Barry had cast on the frigid doctor, but he had plans and they needed to be executed as soon as possible.

“Lovely that Barry was bleeding and shoved in a treasure chest,” Len said to catch their attention. The temperature dropped several degrees when Frost looked at him. “But there’s something else I wanted to discuss. Something urgent.”

“Urgent...” Barry echoed. Frost stayed silent.

“Yes. I need you to fashion something to give Barry legs. Temporarily of course, as I need to get back to my own ship.”

“Your ship?” Barry asked. “I thought this was your ship.”

Len smirked. It was so easy for him to slip into his persona. There was a reason other pirates had learned to fear the name Captain Cold.

“Yes and no. This is more a loan. My ship is a lot rougher around the edges.” Len turned to Frost before Barry could say another word. “So you’ll do it?”

Frost’s face turned whiter than usual. “I suppose I could. I might have a few ingredients to make a potion now if you’d like.”

“Do it. Take whoever you want to accompany you. I’d like to have a friendly chat with our neighborhood merman.”

Frost nodded, yet a scowl was still prominent on her blue lips. She glided to the door and passed through like a ghost. There were a few screams and then the bellying laughter of Mick.

Barry pawed at the water. “What are you, really? Are you not the captain?”

“I am the captain,” Len said slowly. “I didn’t say I was of this ship.”

Barry seemed to consider that for a moment. Then he drew away, submerging himself fully in the tank before coming back up to the open air.

“Yes, but what are you?” He asked. “You’re human, right? You’re not like...me? Like Frost?”

Len let his smirk fall. Barry looked back at him with wide, almost fearful eyes, until Len sighed.

“No.” He said simply, undoing the buttons at the edge of his coat. Len pulled back his right sleeve and Barry’s eyes almost fell out of his head. “I’m not like Frost or you. I’m better.”

XXXXX

Barry stared at the mark in horror.

It was like a patch of skin had been burned off, traveling up all the way to Len’s forearm where the rest was swallowed up in the confines of his blue coat. The mark was angry and jagged, almost like it was eating at skin where something unnatural was buried underneath. Through the scarred tissue there were the faint distinctions of a skull with a cross stabbed through the head all in faded black ink.

Barry knew that mark. All mer-people knew that mark.

“You’re a _pirate_. I’m on a _pirate ship!”_

“Yes,” Len drawled and snapped his coat back into place. “You’re on a pirate ship. _My_ pirate ship, for the time being. I thought that was obvious.”

Apparently it wasn’t because Barry was starting to hyperventilate.

At first he felt his heartbeat speed up, then the water splashed out of the tub onto the floor where his tail kept thrashing around. Thoughts accelerated in his head. Barry tried to breathe, in and out, but he couldn’t. His heart was slamming against his chest, and his lungs were trying to crawl out of his brain.

“How could it be obvious?” Barry gasped out. “You’re murderers. Thieves! Pirates _kill_ people.”

Len kept his distance from the tub as Barry splashed around. “That they do.”

“Oh my gods and sea-fish...” Barry’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. The room was starting to spin. “You’re gonna kill me. That’s why you want me to have legs, so you can throw me into the ocean and let me drown.”

Barry was going to die. Dead. Gone. There was a barrel of a gun in front of his face, bejeweled with opal handles threatening him. He remembered it clearly because the same mark had been shoved in his face except...except...

Barry felt a hand envelope his arm, and the gun was gone, replaced by two deep blue eyes staring at him.

“I’m not going to kill you, Barry,” the eyes said. “Breathe.”

Barry took a deep gulp of air and it all came back to him. The tub came back, and his tail stopped splashing, and Len was in front of his covered head toe in water. Len. Pirate Captain Len.

Barry jerked his hand away and threw himself as far to the edge of the glass tank as possible.

“You’re not gonna kill me?” He asked meekly.

The captain grimaced while he run out his coat. “While I don’t think that would work with you being able to breathe underwater and all, why would I? What makes you think I‘d kill you after nursing you back to health?”

It was the classic thing to do, to appeal to Barry’s better nature and earn his trust. Barry knew it, Len probably knew it too.

But still...all Barry wanted to do was make himself lost in Len’s piercing gaze, pirate or not.

“No,” Barry sighed. “You’re right. You would’ve thrown me over a long time ago if you were going to hurt me.”

There was silence between them, only the faint splashes of water when Barry moved or the tapping of someone walking above-deck.

Len cleared his throat and his gaze settled anywhere but on Barry’s face. “Another thing, my crew members and I go by different names on the high seas. I am known as Captain Cold and they are my Rogues.”

“Cold?” Barry suppressed a laugh. “That can’t be right. You’re not cold right now. You’re not cold to me.”

Len continued to stare at the wall behind Barry’s head. “Maybe so. Right now neither of us have parts to play. This is why you’re going to need the potions. We can’t have anyone knowing what you truly are.” He gestured to Barry’s tail in the tank.

Barry opened his mouth, but ended up closing and nodded instead as he sank his head into the water to have something else to do besides stare at Len.

“Do you mind if...” Barry‘s head came up from the water. “Can I ask you something?”

Len found one of the wooden chairs and sat with a flourish, motioning for Barry to continue.

“That chest...why is it so important? Why do you want me to remember so badly?”

Try for his life, Barry couldn’t remember anything besides the flashes he kept having. They weren’t constant, but they were _there_ , in the back of his mind or in the corners of his vision whenever he glanced at the chest that sat in the corner of the room, shrouded in shadows like it was a demon, watching and waiting.

Blue eyes, the lid, a ship and a menacing smile.

Barry clutched at his head.

There was a ringing in his ears and a constant tapping not from the ship but somewhere else. The waves crashing below echoed like they were trying to tell him something.

“—Barry?”

Barry looked up and he almost fell out of his tank. Len’s eyes were so so blue like the ocean, like his home and—

Barry swallowed. “What did you say?”

“I asked you if the name Harrison Wells reminds you of anything.”

Harrison Wells? Who was that?

Barry shook his head. “I...don’t think so. Should I know who that is?”

Len sighed. “Guess not. That chest was found at at a location well known for Wells to rear his nasty head. I only mean to know what connection you have with getting kidnapped, and by default I could also learn more about the connection you have with him.”

Connection?

Barry couldn’t shake his head fast enough. “I don’t have a connection with anyone, and not with this Harrison Wells guy. It was probably an accident how I ended up in the chest.”

“So you’re telling me it was accident you somehow locked yourself in a box that locks from the outside in the middle of nowhere?”

Barry blinked. There was nothing else he could do, even as Len moved the chair closer to the tank so his knees were inches away from touching the glass.

“I need you to be honest with me,” Len said. “If not I can’t help you.”

“I...”

Barry chewed his lower lip. He didn’t need help. Did he? He had never heard of the name Harrison Wells in his life and he shouldn’t pretend he had just to please Len.

“I have no idea who that is,” Barry repeated. “I’m sorry.”

Len seemed to consider something for a moment, but he didn’t say another word on the matter.

They made small talk to pass the time, Barry constantly glancing at the chest to see if maybe if he looked hard enough he could remember something, anything? Did pirates have name tags? Maybe if he was lucky Harrison Wells would have a big fat name tag scribbled in ink so Barry could know if he ever did see him.

He also knew Len wasn’t oblivious to the chest either, narrowing his eyes further every time Barry looked in its direction.

“Dr. Frost should be returning soon,” Len said after another pause. He stood up and stretched his legs. “I’ll go see which of my crew members she decided to take with her.”

Barry nodded silently as Len grabbed the chair he had been sitting on and placed it on the corner. Barry was about to ask another question about Frost, when, speak of the doctor, she phased through the door in her shimmering dress.

Some of the other crew members followed her—Rogue’s as Len had called them—and they all piled around as if awaiting orders. Even if they were pirates, Barry didn’t see much a difference in any of them, besides the knives strapped to Shawna’s belt, and the impish glint in both Axel’s and Lisa’s eyes.

Axel also happened to be the first to make it to Barry’s tank and tap at the glass with a grin.

“You miss us?” He asked and shot the merman a wink when Len rolled his eyes. “I’m much better company then our Captain over there.”

“Where I can hear you and still have complete authority to make you walk the plank,” Len sneered before crossing his arms.

“You’d never.” Axel stuck out his tongue, even as Hartley pulled him away to take his place by the tank, Mick lumbering behind him.

“Ready ta get legs, Red?” Mick laughed as if the question was funny.

Hartley adjusted his glasses. “If my calculations are correct, and they always are, I should be able to recreate the correct dosage in case Ms. Frosty over here gets it all wrong.”

Mick chuckled. Frost, on the other hand, didn’t find them amusing.

“One of you lift up Barry or so help me you’ll be losing your legs while he gains his.”

There was some grumbling and then Barry felt Mick lift him out of the tank, even as the quartermaster’s shirt was soaked through. Barry was then placed by the vacated chair Len had been sitting on.

“Good.” Frost motioned for everyone to get out of her way as she bent down to be eye level with Barry. “This might hurt, but I need you to drink it.”

Frost produced a small vial with a flourish and gave it to Barry with her frosted hands. Even though the vial was so cold it was almost burning, the ice was already melting away to reveal the murky blue liquid swirling inside it.

“So I drink all of it?” Barry asked as he uncapped the vial and smelled it.

Frost nodded. “Every last drop.”

Without another word Barry tipped the vial into his mouth. Although it didn’t smell like anything, whatever was in it was the worst thing he had ever tasted. It was creamy and tangy and overly bitter at the same time, almost like something slimy was slipping down his tongue into his stomach. Even as little blue drops threatened to roll down the sides of his mouth, he scrunched his eyes and licked his lip.

The empty vial fell to the floor and shattered.

Barry clutched his head as a scream threatened to tear itself from his throat.

His body felt heavy, almost as if it was slipping from the chair, but he wasn’t moving. His tail thrashed without warning, the scales glowing bright before starting to pulse as if counting down to the sound of the blood thumping in his ears. His skin prickled like knives were cutting the surface, piece by piece.

His tail felt hot in the most uncomfortable places. His skin was starting to stretch and form into something new, something Barry couldn’t escape from even as he shut his eyes. There were hands on him and voices from far away and in his head and his skin felt too too hot—

And it all stopped and everything froze over.

Frost was there, her brows furrowed as if concerned, and Mick and Lisa and Axel and all the other Rogues. Len was there too, his face clearer among the rest when Barry blinked away the tears in his eyes.

“Did it work?” He asked and looked down.

In place of his tail were two smooth legs with those little things people called toes. There were also joints so he could bend at his knees and his feet were really small compared to his huge fin.

Barry wiggled his toes experimentally and went to stand up, even though he wobbled slightly and almost fell back against the chair. Around him the Rogues were staring.

“What?” Barry asked.

“I see the potion worked,” Frost said with a slight pink tint to her cheeks.

Axel giggled, even as Hartley lunged to cover his eyes but he was also staring.

Roy cleared his throat. “You may wanna...” He motioned with his hand and too looked away.

Barry looked down and his face grew so hot he did fall back, but missed the chair entirely. He would’ve hit the floor if not for both Len and Lisa coming to his rescue and pulling him up. Len also offered his jacket Barry covered himself as much as he could while trying not to look at anyone in the eyes.

“Let’s get you some clothes, Barry,” Len said after a moment. Lisa held a huge smile on her face while she tried to sneak another peek but Len smacked her hand away.”

“Well,” Mick said after a moment of awkward silence. “At least yer packing. Legs ain’t so big after all, Red.”

XXXXX

Queen Iris sat on her throne in her royal chambers and narrowed her eyes as the doors swung open.

Someone swam towards her, keeping their head bowed in reverence. It was Felicity, Iris’s attendant and consort. Her tail billowed like smoke when she swam, and her thick spy glasses hugged her nose tightly.

“One of the attendants from Allainia is requesting an audience, Your Grace.” Felicity wrinkled her hands together, the webbed fins dripping in jewels. “What shall I do?”

Iris waved her triton and nodded. “Send them in.”

Felicity bowed again, departing to one of the side entrances to await her next orders. The doors of the throne room opened and a lone figure was ushered in. The queen’s guards shut the door tightly when they were through.

“Have you come to give me more excuses, Cisco?” Iris asked with a grimace. “I don’t like to be kept waiting.”

Cisco’s tail glowed in the darkness with streaks of yellow and blue like ripples across his olive skin. In the dim lighting, he looked like he had a spotlight etched all around him, illuminating himself so Queen Iris could watch his every movement. Not even the tall grass surrounding her throne acted like it would help him if he slipped up.

“Something has happened,” Cisco said after he bowed. “I came as soon as I could.”

“What exactly?”

“The soon to be heir, he’s...” Cisco paused and looked away in shame. “Gone.”

Iris clicked her jaw. The heir was to be hers. He couldn’t be gone. That would mean treason, treachery. Insubordination...

Iris smiled wide. “Then I have no use for you.”

“What?”

The guards came in to take Cisco away even as he thrashed his tail around and called her name. Iris didn’t care; she had her answer now that the prince heir had declined her proposal.

“Wait,” Cisco cried as he was dragged by his fins. “I can find him! I swear. I know how to track him, I know where he hangs out.”

Iris stilled her hand so her guards could release Cisco and let him speak.

“I can find him. Just give me some time, please.”

Iris glanced over at Felicity who nodded her head in agreement. Iris hated to banish people, but she was at the end of her patience with the kingdom of Allainia. Cisco was a good page, but he wasn’t the person she wished to speak to.

“You have a month,” Iris said and twirled her trident. “If I do not hear from you in one month’s time I shall declare war on Allainia. Mark my words.”

Iris tapped her triton twice on the side of her throne and the command reiterated across the castle. Everyone bowed their heads and swam off in different directions, going back to their posts. Only Cisco remained.

Iris blew a strand of hair that floated in her face. “What is it?”

“I might need to search on land too. I have this feeling.”

“Your feelings are of no concern to me. You have my blessing to do what needs to be done. I already told you what I would do if you do not bring the Prince heir to me.”

Cisco gulped and nodded. He swam the same way he had come and the doors shut to have total darkness in the room.

Iris silently called on Felicity through the water. Her attendant appeared not a moment later.

“I want you to put the captain of my guard to follow Cisco wherever he goes, to do what he does, to observe and report back to me.”

Felicity paled. “You mean...Oliver?”

Iris sighed, dropping her mask for a moment. It was hard to be the queen and a good friend at the same time.

“Your husband is the only one who will not hesitate to do what needs to be done. This proposal is important, Felicity. Please will you send him?”

Felicity nodded if not a little somber. “For you, my queen, I will.”

“Good.” Iris stood from her throne and used her tail to propel herself forward. “See he gets the message and tell him to take good care. We don’t know how many more surprises we will have in store.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnn. Plot.


End file.
